My Little Princess
by PruedenceKimberly
Summary: What if there was more to the Daniel/Regina story? What if there was more to why Regina is the way she is right now? What if Cora had hurt her daughter beyond anyone's imagination? This story takes place after 2x05 "The Doctor" and may or may not follow the show's storylines. I Don't own anything, except Ariel.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't anything.**

_**Prologue**_

22 year old Regina Mills stared at her reflection in the mirror, the dark circles under her red eyes were evidence of the last in a sequence of sleepless nights. Ever since her mother ripped the heart of the one man who truly loved her, the one man whom she loved with all her heart, she hadn't been able to sleep. His face haunted her sleep, as well as her waking moments. She knew that the latest development would push back her wedding to the king , if not cancel it all together. And she also knew that it would make her mother furious, which wasn't so bad actually. But NO, she thought to herself. She couldn't think like that of her mother, it would be inappropriate. She finally finished getting ready and applying enough powder on her face that would make her presentable. She got up and walked towards the sitting room, where her parents were seated, and the closer she got to the room, the more nervous she got.

"Good Morning darling" Regina's father's happy voice pulled her out of her reverie as she entered the room.

"Good Morning daddy" Regina said with a genuine smile, and leaned in to kiss her father on the cheek to hide the nervousness that lines her face.

"Good Morning Mother" she said as she turned to her mother, although her tone held way less affection.

"Good Morning, you were late for breakfast today" Cora said in a harsh tone, as if her daughter had killed someone, which she seems to do on a regular basis herself.

"I know, I wasn't hungry" Regina answered, although her mind was screaming "understatement of the century"

"I need to speak to you both about something" Regina said nervously, as she kept playing with her hands.

"Of course darling" her father said in a reassuring voice, noticing the look his daughter had on her face. He moved a bit closer to Cora, to allow Regina enough room to sit; as bad as it may seem, he didn't want Regina so close to her mother in such a state; after all, Cora wasn't known for her affectionate nature.

Regina took the seat next to her father, noticing how he coyly sparred her the uncomfortable situation, and she smiled gratefully at him. She sat down, and started staring at her shoes, until her mother's impatient voice snapped her out of it.

"Regina, tell us what you want already. We haven't got all day" Cora said in a, well, in her usual tone.

"I'm pregnant" Regina found herself saying without even looking up at her parents, and she didn't have time for contemplating what she did, since Cora snapped up from the couch, standing up immediately.

"Excuse me, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Cora basically yelled at her daughter.

Henry immediately moved on the couch to be somewhat in a protective position and Regina basically shrunk next to him.

"I'm pregnant" she answered, through her tears and shakes, although her hands instinctively fell to her stomach; subconsciously afraid that her mother will rip the baby out.

"With that stable boy's child?" her mother roared.

"Yes".

"Since when?" her father's calm voice was a contrast to her mother's; his was also loving and concerned. Looking up at him, she realized that she saw a glint of happiness in his eyes.

"I think about 6 weeks" she answered him, and couldn't help the smile that graced her lips at the thought of her baby.

"You must get rid of this baby at once" her mother's harsh tone snapped her out of her short lived happiness.

"What?" Regina asked, incredibly confused, and a part of her was hoping she had heard her mother wrong.

"You must get rid of this baby at once, abort it. If the king…"her mother's rant was interrupted by Regina's forceful "NO."

"What do you mean no?" Cora said, as she narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

"I am not going to kill my own baby mother" came Regina's determined answer, and a part of Cora was happy that Regina was standing her grounds about what she wanted.

"This child should never have existed in the first place. And if the King found out, then you can forget about marrying him." Cora explained, in a not-so-calm tone.

"Is that all you care about? My wedding to the King? Mother I don't care about any of this. I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE MY DAUGHTER, AND I SURE AS HELL WONT KILL HER" Regina, all but yelled the last part.

"Cora, this is ridiculous. We cant harm an innocent child, just because you disapproved of who her father was." Henry finally decided to interfere, to try to knock some sense into his wife.

Cora narrowed her eyes at both her husband and daughter, and her jaw was set tight.

"What about the scandal that will ensue? We will lose everything" Cora retaliated.

"People don't have to know that the baby is hers." Henry said, as an idea came to him.

"What?" both Regina and Cora said at the same time, although they were both shocked for different reasons. Cora was shocked because she didn't think her husband had in him to deceive, and Regina was horrified at the prospect of having to give her baby up, because that is the only way people would not know that the baby is hers.

"You can use your magic to disguise her pregnancy, so that no one will ever find out. She can give birth here, we keep the baby for a few weeks, and on one for her visits to us, she returns with the baby, and tells the King that she found the baby abandoned at the side of the road and brought her along. The King wont say no to raising the baby. And we will even place the baby on the side of the road for the guards to notice" Henry quickly explained to his family.

"But Daddy, I cant give my baby up?" Regina said, with fear filling her voice at the prospect of having to live without her daughter, even if it is for a few weeks, and her arms were wrapped around herself; it gave her a sense of safety for the baby growing inside of her.

"Sweetheart, it is only for a few weeks." Henry calmly said to his crying daughter, knowing exactly how she feels and what is going through her mind.

"What if the King doesn't agree to raising her as his in the castle?."Regina tearfully asked, as every single possible bad scenario of how this can go wrong went through her head.

"He will. The King is kind and he wont allow the child to grow up without a home. And make sure you tell him with Snow in the room, she wont allow the baby to be left alone and her father wont say no to her or you." Henry calmly explained as he held his daughter's tear stained face in his hands.

"Alright" Regina said. She leaned forward and allowed her father to embrace her. She needed to feel the comfort and safety his embrace brought her.

They both turned around to see what Cora thinks, and she nodded, although her face was grim, and she didn't look like a woman who was happy that she is about to become a grandmother, for more than one reason that is.

Regina knew that it might mean that she is a terrible person, but she couldn't help but feel happy and proud that she challenged her mother and did something to spite her. She killed Daniel, but a piece of him will always be around to remind Cora of him and the forbidden love that Regina managed to live right under her nose. And when her mother looked at her stomach, Regina felt a strange feeling, and her hands instantly fell to cover her stomach, and that moment she realized that she will protect her child no matter what, and against whoever decides to hurt her in any form or manner. No one is going to hurt her baby girl. Yes she knew it was a girl, she couldn't explain it, but she just knew in her heart, that the baby growing inside of her, was a girl.


	2. Prologue:Part 2

Cora stormed into her room incredibly furious with her daughter. Not only is she keeping the baby, but she seems to have quite the maternal instincts. She didn't miss how her daughter referred to the baby as a "she". She couldn't stop the bitter laugh; emotions make a person weak, she had no idea Regina was a girl, until she was born.

She furiously started pacing the room, trying to figure this out. Yes she had agreed to Henry's plan, but she needed to try to get rid of the baby first. If that didn't work, then she will go along with her husband's plan. And she set about trying to figure out how to abort her daughter.

She checked her spell book, and found a few "accidents" that she can cause her daughter that will lead to the death of the baby growing inside of her. But then she realized something, she cant do this to her daughter if she will be living with the King at his castle. The wedding must be postponed until the baby is either aborted or born. And she finally had an idea. She can kill the baby as soon as she's born, Regina will never know; she will think the baby died in childbirth.

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Cora went to see her husband and daughter.

"We have to think of an excuse to tell the King as to why we need the wedding postponed for 7 months" Cora said calmly as she entered the room. She found her daughter and husband talking, and her daughter had the biggest of smiles on her face.

"Why do we need to postpone it? I thought you said you will disguise the pregnancy?" Regina asked her mother, confusion evident in her voice, although the happiness was just as easily spotted.

"Because I cant do it, if you are living at the King's palace. You have to be here for the spell to work" Cora lied smoothly to her daughter.

"Alright, I don't mind. I need more time anyway." Regina said to her mother, as she tried to quench the sudden wave of morning sickness that hit her.

"We can tell him that Regina needs more time to get used to the ways of being queen." Henry offered from his place behind his daughter.

"Very well." Cora said, as the gears in her head kept clicking.

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Regina screamed to the top of her lungs as another contraction hit her with a massive wave of pain. She could vaguely hear her mother's harsh voice ordering her to push, and her father used a piece of cloth to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"Regina, you have to push if you want that baby out of you and the suffering to end" Cora ordered her daughter. The damned baby had decided to arrive in the middle of the night, as if she hadn't caused enough problems already.

"Just a few more sweetheart" came her father's gentle voice, as he helped her pull her legs up.

Regina let out a final all mighty scream, before she felt the baby out of her. She leaned back against her father, breathing heavily, but happy nonetheless. She will finally be able to hold her daughter in her arms, Daniel's daughter. But the all too familiar scream of a newborn child wasn't filling the room. And the room was awfully quiet. Fear gripped Regina's heart, and she pulled herself up on her elbows.

"Mama, what's wrong? Why isn't she crying?" Regina voice was still weak, but laced with fear. She looked at her mother and the bundle in her arms, and couldn't help but notice that the baby was also very still.

"I'm so sorry Regina. It appears your daughter is dead" Cora told her daughter without even a hint of remorse in her voice.

Regina could feel her heart stop at that second; her worst fear had come to life.

"What?" She weakly asked her mother. Her breath became heavier and air suddenly became incredibly scarce, tears were already cutting rivers into her cheeks.

"She's dead Regina. I am trying to get her to breathe but she isn't. I will go burry her" Cora said, standing up from her seat and moving towards the door.

Regina let out a scream that could have very much woken up the dead, and fell against her father's chest, as sobs wrecked her body.

"I wanna see her" she tearfully asked her mother.

"Excuse me?" Cora stopped midway to the door.

"I want to see her. I want to hold her before you burry her in the woods where no one will ever know she ever existed." Regina said to her mother, and even she was shocked at her own boldness.

"It will only make it harder if you do. It is better this way" Cora heartlessly told her daughter, as she turned around and left.

Regina screamed and cried, called after her mother, begging her to bring her daughter. She even tried to get up to follow her mother, but she was still too weak, and she fell to the floor. Her father gathered her in his arms and held her tight, as she sobbed hard into his chest. Her baby was dead, she was gone. All that she ever cared about in this world is gone, and even worse, the last piece of Daniel that she had was also gone.


	3. Shocking Revelations

**To LilahMorgann…. Thank you for your review and I that story has been nagging me since last season actually.**

**To KCrane…I'm glad you like it and thank you for the review.**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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David knocked on Dr. Hopper 's door. Archie had called him and asked him to come by and to bring Henry along, well actually, he basically begged him to do so, even though he wouldn't tell him what he wanted.

Archie opened the door, and David immediately noticed that Archie's eyes were red with unshed tears, and he seemed incredibly stressed.

"Hello, thank you for coming" Archie said in a low voice.

"Sure, are you alright?" David asked stepping in, with Henry by his side.

"Just come in and I will explain it all" Archie said.

David and Henry walked into the therapy room to find Regina sitting on the couch, with her head buried in her hands. She seemed oblivious to their existence and only looked up at the sound of Henry's voice, "Mom". That simple title that Henry gave her, and the fact that he still called her that, warmed her heart and God knows she needed that at the moment.

"Hey sweetheart" Regina said through her tears, although her eyes seemed to show a bit of happiness.

"I have asked you both to come, because Regina had asked for my help with keeping her promise to Henry of not using magic. And I think that you two need to know what she told me; I think it will help her." Archie said, a bit of pleading in his voice, as he looked David in the eye.

"Sure" Henry answered before his grandfather managed to even contemplate the thought, but as David looked down at Henry, he couldn't say no. Regina may have been a horrible person to all of them, but no one can deny that she loved Henry, and that she took care of him for 10 years. And even the town's people said she was not a bad mother.

"Alright" David finally sighed, "but first, I want to know what happened to Daniel?" David asked as he sat down on the couch opposite Regina. Henry then noticed the look of pure pain and agony that appeared on his mother's face.

"Is he the guy who tried to choke me?" Henry asked.

"Yes, and I am very very sorry for that Henry. I didn't know you were at the stable, and I certainly didn't mean for him to try to choke you. And neither did he, he was just confused." Regina was quick to explain.

"I know" was Henry's simple answer, and Regina looked at him in shock, and Henry realized that his grandfather, as well as Archie, were shocked too, and that they were waiting for more from him.

"He looked incredibly confused at first, and when I reached out to touch him, it seemed like he was remembering something, and he lunged forward and grabbed me. Kind of like, attack me before I attack him."

"Yeah, he was probably remembering my mother plunging her hand into his chest, before ripping his heart out and turning it into dust" Regina said bitterly, and without thinking before speaking, as it seemed from the look of horror that crossed her face, realizing what she just told her 10 year old son.

"Your mother killed him?" Henry asked in total disbelieve, "Why?"

"Because I was in love with him, and she wanted me to marry the King, Snow's father." Regina answered, looking into her son's eyes, to watch his reaction.

"Is that why you started using magic? To bring him back?" Henry asked her again.

"Yes. But I thought it was impossible"

"But then Dr. Whale brought him back" Henry said matter-of- fact. And when Regina looked at him in confusion, "Grandpa told me that part of the story, but he didn't tell me you were in love with him."

"Well I was, still am. I preserved his body using magic"

"Where is he then?" Henry asked her, his eyes a bit hopeful. And Regina felt the pain of having to destroy his hopes again, swell up in her chest.

"After you and David left, I tried to talk to him. He attacked me at first, but then he stopped after he recognized me. He told me that the pain of me holding on to him was unbearable, he begged me to let him go, I told him that I couldn't, he moved to attack me again. And I was forced to make him disappear."Regina couldn't keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks again, and in all honesty, she couldn't give a damn.

"Disappear?" David asked a bit skeptically.

Regina looked up at them, but she couldn't find her voice, or the strength to say it. And it was then that Henry knew the answer, he could read it all over Regina's face, and in her eyes.

"He's dead. And for good this time" Henry said, a bit of shock and mostly pain in his voice.

The sob that escaped Regina's lips before she had enough strength to stop it was enough proof for David. His features softened up immediately and he felt a bit of sympathy for her, he knew what it felt like to lose the one you love. Not to mention having to basically send them back to the land of the dead, after you think that you got them back.

"I'm so sorry Regina" David told her sincerely.

"That's not the only reason why I called you here though" Regina finally managed to say.

She looked up at their faces, and David nodded at her to continue. She saw the look of pure concentration on her son's face, and she momentarily lost herself in the urge to grab him and hug him for dear life, but she composed herself before she actually acted.

"A week after Daniel died…..I discovered that I was pregnant" Regina told her son and his grandfather, and she saw the looks of pure shock and confusion written all over their faces.

"Snow never told me that part" David was the one to finally find his voice.

"She never knew. My mother used her magic to hide the pregnancy and we postponed the wedding until I had the baby. Needless to say, that she was furious when she found out about it, but when I refused to abort the baby, she caved in and decided to help me cover it up." Regina explained, and David had a feeling in his stomach that the worse part of the story was yet to come.

"What happened?" Henry asked his mother, in an eager voice. And Regina couldn't help the smile that graced her lips at her son's antiques.

"The plan was that I would give birth at my parent's house, leave the baby with them for a few weeks, and then return to visit them. On my way back, the guards would spot an abandoned baby crying at the side of the road. I would take it back with me, and ask the King that we raise it as our own. That way I get to watch my baby grow up, and nobody finds out the truth." Regina paused to collect her breath, and David noticed that her lips were trembling, and when he looked closer, he saw that she was shaking, but was trying hard to keep it in check, "That was the plan until…..until my baby was born dead" Regina finally said.

David and Henry sat there staring at her, they were both speechless and had no idea what to say. Regina's body was overtaken by shakes as she sobbed hard. Henry got up from his place next to David, and wrapped his arms around his mother. Regina was taken aback at first, but when she realized it was her son, she moved so she can hold him properly. Henry sat in her lap and wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in it, and Regina held on to him tightly for dear life. She wanted the assurance and the comfort. And having the arms of one of her children wrapped around her gave her just that. And for the first time in a very long time, she was finally allowed to mourn the death of her daughter.

David was still at a loss for words; what do you tell a woman who basically had everything she ever cared about ripped away from her? Her mother killed her fiance' in front of her, and her baby was dead. Sure this woman cursed people to rip him and Snow apart, but at least she had the grace to make sure they don't remember. But she remembers it all, she lived it all. She was forced to live every single day of her life knowing that her child was dead, that she would never hear their laughter, or watch them grow up. Again he knew the pain, but he was experiencing it in retrospect. He didn't know that his daughter wasn't with him. And even when he remembered, his daughter was there for him to hold and be reassured. But Regina never had that. And for the first time, he found that a part of him not only felt sympathy for the Evil Queen, but also understood what had made her so cold-hearted. Who wouldn't after everything she went through?

"I'm so sorry Regina" David found himself saying for the second time in less than an hour, and he genuinely meant it. Regina faintly nodded as she held on to Henry, scared that if she let go that he will disappear too.

"Regina, keep going. This is good, and it is helping" Archie encouraged Regina, and all David could think was, 'there's more?!'

Henry unwrapped his hands from around her neck, but kept one arms loosely wrapped around her shoulders and remained seated in her lap, hoping that this small gesture, although huge to Regina, would show her that it is ok to talk and open up.

"It was a girl. My mother wouldn't even let me hold her before she buried her in the woods. And she never told me where she buried her" Regina tearfully said, "All I have is the blanket that she was wrapped in when she was first born, mother brought it back and gave to me" Regina continued, as she pulled a dark red velvet blanket, with satin edges, that had a distinct pattern sown in one corner around what at first sight appears to be a sea shell, but when you look closer it is a dolphin that is wrapped around to look like one.

Henry took the blanket from her and examined the dolphin. "I loved Dolphins and I made this myself. I knew she was a girl, so dolphins seemed like a good idea." Regina said, longingly looking at the blanket.

David again found himself drawing parallels between the woman sitting in front of him and Snow. They both knew their babies were girls before they were even born, they both had hand-made blankets for them, one put her daughter into a wardrobe and blissfully lived for 28 years not knowing anything about it, and the other never even laid eyes on her daughter, and she had to live with that fact every single day. At least Snow got to hold Emma before he took her to the wardrobe. Regina never did. All she had was a blanket and the pregnancy memories. That void in her uterus when the baby is born wasn't filled with the warmth of the baby being in her arms. Both remained empty! And in that moment, he realized why she adopted Henry, why she fought so hard to get rid of Emma. She was scared of losing another child, that she was going to do anything possible to prevent that from happening. And in her panic, she went about it the wrong way. And then something inside his head clicked. He looked at Regina, and in a very calm and sincerely compassionate voice he asked his question, "What was her name?"

3 sets of eyes stared at him.

"Snow had Emma's name picked out before she was born. She knew she was a girl too and she picked the name. You said you knew she was a girl, so I'm guessing you already had a name in mind, and that you weren't going to wait around and discuss it with your mother." David calmly explained.

"Does it matter?" Regina asked bitterly, although her voice held no animosity, on the contrary, it was broken.

"You said your mother never told you where she was buried. And it doesn't look like you managed to properly mourn her death. So I was thinking of holding some sort of an honorary service for her. So her name?" David calmly explained to her, a gentle smile playing on his lips, but not one of gloating, one of reassurance and understanding.

"Aria" Regina gently said.

And at this moment, a nova went off in Henry's head, and he looked at his mother with a huge grin on his face, that surprised everyone in the room.

"I know that my questions will seem weird, but please bear with me, ok?" Henry eagerly asked, almost bouncing up and down on Regina's legs.

Regina couldn't help the heart-felt laugh that escaped her lips, as she was flooded with memories of Henry growing up and doing the exact same thing.

"Of course sweetheart. Ask anything." She genuinely told Henry, and she wrapped her hands around his trunk and interlocked her fingers at his side.

"You said before that a mother always knows when her child is in danger or hurt, right?"

"Yes."

"But if they lived in a different realm, that wouldn't work right?"

"Different realm how? Like here and our land?" David leaned forward as he asked.

"Yeah"

"I guess so yea, the barriers between worlds would hinder that." Regina told her son, wondering where he was going with this.

"So if your daughter lived in another world, you wouldn't know that she is alive or even sense her?"

"Yes, but…." Regina interrupted before Archie put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"You said you cast a spell on Daniel to preserve his body. Is it possible for your mother to have cast a spell to make the baby look dead when in reality it's not?" Henry asked.

"Yes it is." Regina said, as she realized where her son's trail of thoughts were headed, so did David and Archie.

"Where are you getting at Henry?" David asked.

"I think your daughter is alive." Henry joyfully announced, he looking into his mother's eyes.

"What?" Regina almost chocked on the last two letters, and her eyes were filled with hope that reflected the hope in her heart, "What are you talking about?"

Henry jumped off Regina's lap and ran to his backpack and pulled out the book of fairytales. He flipped through the pages as if his life depended on it.

"I always thought the illustrations were a bit funny and that it was just a coincidence since it was hand-drawn and all. But now it makes sense." Henry ranted, as he looked for the desired page.

"What does?" Regina and David asked simultaneously.

"This." Henry said as he laid the book, open to the page in question, on the coffee table between the two couches.

"The Little Mermaid. I always thought she looked like you. And look at her necklace, it's a dolphin wrapped around himself like a seashell." Henry pointed to a drawing, of a raven haired girl, with the same skin tone as Regina, and big chocolate orbs, wearing a scarlet off shoulder dress, and the gold necklace in question was held to her neck by a black string.

All the adults in the room stared at the drawing, and none of them could deny that the resemblance was uncanny.

"Your mother lied to you. You daughter didn't die. She's the Little Mermaid."

**Hope you all like it...please R&R**


	4. Is She?

**To All my Reviewers… thank you for the support and the feedback.**

**Here's the next chapter…hope you all enjoy it.**

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Regina stared at her son, and looking around the room, she realized that both Archie and David had the same look on their faces. They didn't know what to think.

Regina's heart and mind were a battlefield of thoughts and emotions. On one hand, she desperately wanted to believe what Henry was saying; that her baby girl was alive and well, that her mother lied to her all those years ago. That the last piece she had of Daniel was still out there for her to find, that she will be able to finally hold her daughter. That all hope wasn't lost. But on the other hand, she was terrified; what if she got her hopes up, only for them to be crushed again? She already lost Daniel for the second time today, and she didn't want to lose her daughter again as well. She snapped out of her reverie at David's words.

"Henry, you cant base what you're saying solely on the fact that the drawings in the book look the same. I know that everything else in the book is true, but I think if she was Regina's daughter it would have been mentioned." David calmly told his grandson. He knew exactly how Regina felt, and what was going through her head. He didn't want her to get her hopes up, only for them to be crushed again, and he had no idea what to say to her, so he decided that he needs to be sure of anything before he can encourage her to feel either way.

"No, it wouldn't be mentioned. Daniel is nowhere in the book. Whoever wrote this didn't care why mom held a grudge against grandma, they said it was because she was jealous of her beauty. But in the Little Mermaid, they said she was incredibly powerful, and that she was a witch, but a good one. They even said that she wasn't really Triton and Athena's daughter. They couldn't have children. And Triton is powerful enough to turn a normal baby into a baby mermaid." Henry pleadingly told his grandfather, he was kind of disappointed that he didn't believe him, and at the same time he was desperately trying to make his mother feel better. He wanted to give her something to believe in again.

"Actually David, I think he may be on to something." Archie finally decided to talk.

Regina's head snapped in his direction, and David furrowed his eyebrows at his words. The only one who seemed happy by what he said, was Henry, who had a huge grin on his face.

"What do you mean? Is she really my daughter?" Regina tearfully asked Archie, she wasn't sobbing like before, but tears were still in her eyes, escaping occasionally, and a person could easily spot the desperate tone in her question. She wanted to have hope. She wanted to believe Henry, but she was terrified of both. And the prospect of someone telling her it was alright to have it, was good, hell it was great.

"I don't know about that part. But it may be not as farfetched as you both think." Archie was quick to clarify that point.

"Then what do you mean?" David asked him, as he glanced at Regina, noticing the desperate and yet silent plea in her eyes, that somehow, all of this is true. And in all honesty, he couldn't blame her. He himself, is hoping for the same, but he wants to be sure before any hopes crush when it all fails through.

"Ariel, the Little Mermaid, she's powerful. Back in our land, it was a known fact that she was even more powerful than King Triton. Do you remember the horrible storm that was a few weeks after your wedding to the King?" Archie directed his question at Regina.

"Yeah" Regina answered, her eyebrows furrowed, as she had no idea what THAT had to do with anything.

"That was her."

"WHAT?" came from all three mouths.

"Based on the timeline that we have, that would have made her barely 2 months old." David told Archie.

"Yes I know. She has control over the elements, and her hold on water is twice as strong due to her mermaid nature. And since she was just a baby, her emotions affected her powers greatly. So when her emotions went into overdrive, all hell broke loose." Archie slowly explained.

"How does any of that proof that she's mine?" Regina desperately asked him.

"Well, it doesn't. But it proves that it is a possibility, because she's not Triton's biological daughter. And based on what you told me earlier, you started using magic for evil after Dr. Whale failed to bring Daniel back the first time, which again fits the timeline."

"I don't understand."Regina told him, "neither do I" David added.

"Rumors had it, that the baby was fussy. And on that specific occasion, nothing calmed her down. But after that time, she never went into overdrive again. Not until years later that is." Archie explained.

"You think that she felt mom's transformation, and that storm was her pain and anger over losing her mother." Henry stated.

"Exactly. Ariel was always known to be different from the other mermaids. She was the only one to escape the Pirates. And she made them terrified of capturing any mermaids. She was notorious in dealing with them, when they captured, or even came anywhere near any mermaids. All mermaids have powers, but she was unstoppable." Archie told them, as he slowly monitored Regina's reaction.

Regina's face was a mess of emotions. She was crying, her eyes had hope in them, as well as fear. Fear of getting her hopes up only to have them crushed.

"Regina" David called her and waited till she looked at him before he continued talking, "I know this will seem like a deviation, but bear with me, ok?" he gently asked her.

Regina couldn't even find the strength to answer, so she just nodded.

"From everything I know about your mother from what Snow told me, I find it incredibly hard that your mother never tried to hurt your child while you were pregnant. She had magic, so she could have easily caused a few accidents that should have got you to abort." David told Regina.

Regina looked at him for a long time, and he watched as her eyes started shifting, as she searched her memories for something.

"There were a few falls, but nothing major. David believe me, if my mother wanted the baby dead while she was inside of me, she would have accomplished it." Regina told him.

"Not if the baby protected itself" Henry finally caught on his grandfather's trail of thoughts.

"Excuse me" Regina's eyes kept shifting between her son and his grandfather.

David slid off the couch and was kneeling in front of her.

"Think about it Regina. From what Archie said, she's notorious in protecting what is hers, and the people she cares about. If you cross her and hurt someone she loves, she will rip you to pieces. Does that sound like anybody you know?" David calmly told her, "You" he said to Regina's confused look, which only deepened.

"You protect what is yours Regina at all costs. Yes sometimes you go about it the wrong way, but there is no denying that everything you did to Emma was so that you wouldn't lose Henry. And from what Snow told me of Daniel, he was loving, caring and overprotective of his loved ones as well."

"Yes he was" Regina said, as a longing smile graced her lips.

" Your mother tried, as I would guess relentlessly to abort you for 7 months, but the baby protected the two of you. She wasn't going to allow grandma to hurt her mother." David explained, slightly joyful at the prospect, and the smile that appeared on Regina's lips and the consequent grin on Henry's were contagious.

"She protected you Regina. For months, she made sure that Cora wouldn't hurt you, and I think that storm was because she realized that she wont be able to protect you anymore." David added, "I know that you're scared of getting your hopes up and I cant blame you. But there has to be a way of finding out. "

"I..." Regina started saying as she desperately searched for a way, but before she could tell David that she cant, a voice stopped her.

"The mirror." Henry suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" Regina's confused voice answered him.

"Your mirror. A mirror never lies. Maybe you can enchant a mirror so that we can look and see."

"But I promised you that I wont use magic again. It's too tempting." Regina quietly told him.

"I give you permission to break the promise. This isn't dark magic. This is good. If she's alive, then you'll know for sure." Henry told her, and she had to laugh at his enthusiasm. He was basically giddy, and jumping with joy.

"Can you do it?" David asked her, and she looked over at Archie to see what he thinks.

"I think using magic this one time wont hurt. I think it will actually help." He calmly told her. And the grin, that threatened to split her face in half, was mirrored by Henry; and David had a genuine happy expression on his face.

"But before we do that, I want you both to know, that I didn't want Emma and Snow sucked into the portal after the Wraith. He pulled Emma and before I could do anything about it Snow jumped and the portal closed before I could react." She told both David and Henry, and they both saw, as well as heard the sincerity in her statement, so they both nodded. She was surprised when Henry leaned over and hugged her. She hugged him back tightly.

"Now what do you say we go find your daughter?" Henry said as he let go of her, too soon for her liking.

"Sure." Regina said, and she allowed him to pull her up from the couch.

"Let me know how it goes." Archie told them.

"You're not coming?" Regina asked him.

"No, I think it will be best if you three did this alone." He told her.

"We'll keep you posted." David told him, as he directed Henry towards the door, and let them all out.

** well here's the new chapter. let me know what you all think.**


	5. Confirmations

Regina, David and Henry basically ran down the stairs to her vault. She ran into the room where she kept Daniel's body; where now lay an empty coffin. She stood there for a few seconds staring longingly. Henry saw the look on her face and gently grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, and a small smile when she looked at him. Regina smiled back at him and moved to the mirror that rested on the opposite wall. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard, the mirror's surface started to change, but then it went back to normal.

Regina let out a breath, and tried to do it again. This time her efforts paid off. The mirror's surface rippled like the surface of water.

"Show me now, if what I was once told, was the truth or a a web o f lies." Regina said as she touched the middle of the mirror's surface. The rippling became faster, and then faded away as it started showing the memory.

_Regina's screams were drowning in her mother's orders to push. Cora was sitting at the foot of the bed, between Regina's legs, while Regina leaned in on her father. Her father helped her pull her legs up, as she let out an ear piercing scream, before the baby was finally out._

All three of them stood there watching slowly. As the scene that Regina remembered; and the one she told them, was not the one that played out.

_The baby let out a cry as soon as she was out of her mother, and the more Cora bundled her up in the blanket, the harder her cry seemed to get. She calmed down instantly at the sound of Regina's voice asking her mother why the baby wasn't crying._

The three occupants of the room couldn't believe their eyes. Regina was crying hard, Henry had his arms wrapped around her waist, and David rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The baby wasn't born dead like Cora had told her. She as alive, screaming and kicking in front of all of them.

_Cora's harsh voice as she told her daughter that the baby was dead, caused the baby to reach out in her mother's direction. And when Regina screamed from the pain of loosing her child; the baby became fussy and a weird purple glow appeared in her hand. Cora's eyes widened before she grabbed the baby's hand before she can do something with it, causing the baby to scream and cry all over again. Cora ignored her daughter's screams and pleas and rushed out of the door with the baby, as Regina collapsed in her father's arms._

"Oh My God" was all Regina managed to say through her sobs and tears.

"She was trying to break the spell." Henry said, through his tears, both at what he saw and how much pain his mother was in; both in the memory as well as in real life.

Whatever David was about to say was cut short by the mirror's surface coming to life again.

_Cora stormed into her room with the baby still screaming in her arms. She was wrapped in the velvet blanket Regina showed them earlier. She tried to calm down the fussing baby but to no vail._

Regina, who was now leaning on David was sobbing. Her hold on Henry, who had his arms wrapped around her waist and his head resting on her stomach and lower chest, kept getting tighter. But what happened next shocked them all, and Regina fell to her knees; unable to stand straight any longer.

_Cora moved her hand towards the baby's bare chest, and tried to rip her heart out. But the baby's chest glowed white and stopped Cora's hand. Cora tried repeatedly, and failed every time. And the baby's screams kept getting louder and louder. And at that moment, Cora realized that the baby was incredibly powerful, and that if she doesn't get rid of her soon. She will break the spell on her mother, make her presence well known, and all will be lost._

Regina was on her knees sobbing in Henry's arms, who was also crying, and David was rubbing circles on her back, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Oh my god. She tried to kill her." Regina cried through her sobs, "She kept crying in the hopes that I would save her, and I didn't."

"You didn't know. Cora cast a spell on you. There was no way of knowing." David was quick to assure her. I mean he cant blame her. He didn't even remember having a daughter until the curse was broken. So he knew how powerful these things can be. Cora's voice in the memory turned their attention back to the mirror.

"_Rumpelstiltskin, I summon thee."_

Regina's eyes went wide, with surprise that was soon overcome by anger. And David couldn't believe his ears.

"_Having trouble are we?" Rumpelstiltskin's voice could be heard from a hidden corner in the room._

_Cora turned around with the baby in her arms, and pure hate was jumping out of her eyes. Rumple's eyes widened at the sight of the baby, especially with the purple glow in her hand, and the white one on her chest._

"_I cant get rid of this damned baby. She's powerful and she's protecting herself. And If I don't get rid of her, she will break my hold on her mother, and Regina will know I lied when I said the baby was dead." Cora's angry voice came before Rumple even had the chance to talk._

"_You want to kill a baby." Rumple's composed voice came through. Although his face didn't have the usual look on it._

"_Yes, but I cant seem to be able to. So since you are the mighty Dark One, you do it." Cora said as she shoved the baby into Rumple's arms. Strangely enough, the baby quieted down when Rumple held her. The glow in her hand, as well as the one on her chest faded away, and she started chewing on her hands, while looking at Rumple._

Regina's eyes were wide, and she was shaking, with both rage, as well as pain. Henry and David's faces were a mess of emotions.

"_And what do I get in return?" Rumple asked her._

"_Name your price. Just get rid of the damned thing." Cora snapped back, with a voice filled with venom, and eyes that were sending daggers at the baby in his arms._

"_There is a curse that I created, but unable to enact, when the time is right, you will do it for me." Rumple told her._

"_Deal. As long as you get rid of her. And bring me back the blanket." Cora said._

"_Very well" Rumple said before he disappeared._

The ripple returned, allowing the three viewers time to comprehend all that they saw, and maybe even attempt to react to it, since any reaction they seemed to show, was an understatement.

Henry's grip on his mother tightened, and her grip on him become an iron hold. David still had his hand on her back, while the other was holding her forearm, out of fear that she will fall again, and Regina's weight was partially supported on him.

The ripple faded into another scene.

_Rumple walked into his castle, still carrying the baby in his arms, who was now asleep. He gently placed her on a couch, and stood there watching her. She finally opened her eyes, and looked up at him. And he could swear he saw the plea in them. He waved his hand and a bottle of milk appeared. He grabbed it, and carried the baby again, so he can feed her._

_The baby gladly took the bottle and started drinking, when she suddenly reached with her hand and grabbed Rumple's finger. Rumple's face snapped back in her direction, but for some reason he didn't take his finger away._

"_Don't worry little one, I may be the Dark One, but I never harm a child. They haven't done anything to deserve it yet." Rumple told her in a soft voice._

_The baby just kept looking at him._

"Freeze this right here." Henry's exclaim interrupted their concentration.

"What?" Regina's confused voice came, but she waved her hand nonetheless and froze the scene; on her daughter, wrapped in the blanket with the bottle in her mouth and her eyes looking up at Rumple.

Henry fished his mother's phone out of her jacket pocket; he felt it there when he hugged her, and took a picture of the scene, before handing it back to his mother. Regina smiled at him and at the picture of her daughter that was currently on her phone screen.

She then looked back again at the mirror and unfroze it so the scene can play out, reaching out and gently stroked the image of her daughter.

_The baby's eyes started getting heavy, and before she finished the bottle, she had fallen asleep. Rumple gently took the bottle out of her mouth, wrapped the blanket around her tight, before disappearing._

This time the rippling didn't last long, before it faded into the last scene.

_Rumple was standing on sand staring out into the sea, while holding the still sleeping baby in his arms. Two figures appeared emerging from the water._

"_King Triton, Queen Athena." Rumple greeted them in his usual voice._

"_What do you want Rumple?" Triton answered him impatiently._

"_My part of the deal is done. You wanted a baby. Here's one. Now my price." Rumple told him as she gestured towards the baby._

_Athena moved and took the baby from Rumple. The baby fused a bit, but calmed down, when Athena gently made shushing sounds, and rocked her._

_Triton waved him trident and a small glowing ball appeared, "Here you go"_

"_You will also need this." Rumple said as he opened his hand, and a gold necklace rested there. It was a dolphin wrapped around itself like a seashell. "it's a music box, her mother used to sing her a song every night and I imagine you will need it as you put her to sleep" Rumple said as he opened the locket, and Regina's voice could be heard singing._

"A_nd I also need the blanket back." Rumple added as Triton took the locket out of his hand._

_Athena slowly untangled the baby from the blanket, so as to not wake her up, and handed it over to Rumple._

_Rumple waited till Triton turned the baby before his eyes into a mermaid, and before he left he told him._

"_I will be stopping by tomorrow to tell you a few things." Rumple added in a vague voice._

_Triton nodded and disappeared into the sea with his wife and new daughter._

The mirror returned to normal as Rumple disappeared from the beach. And with that Regina completely fell apart.


	6. Aftermath

David was basically dragging Regina, as she leaned in on him and Henry, back to the stairs that led to the vault so she can sit on it. After the mirror stopped showing memories, Regina completely collapsed and was sobbing. David set her down on the stairs and Henry was sitting next to her,hugging her tight. David remained standing next to her, rubbing circles on her back.

He couldn't believe what he just saw. He fully understood why Regina was the way she is now. Not only did she lose everything; but she was basically forced to play dirty and use magic for evil to protect herself from getting hurt again. After all, evil magic took it all away, so maybe if she knew how to use it, she would win occasionally. He didn't even want to begin to imagine how she felt. Her daughter was basically ripped out from her. And she thought she was dead. Which was another thing; at first he thought that Cora had lied about the baby being dead, and gave her to the mermaids. But the horror of watching as she tried to rip the heart of her own grandchild out, made him feel incredibly sorry for Regina, as well as protective of her. He may have had doubts before, but now, he will help her get her daughter back. Yes the woman had done some horrible things, but who wouldn't turn so cold and dark after all of that?!

Regina's breathing was ragged and shallow, as she sobbed hard into Henry's shoulder. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him. She didn't say anything, except maybe the occasional "Oh God" or "My baby". She couldn't say anything at all. No words could describe how she felt; hell she didn't even know how she felt. There were so many emotions inside of her; emotions that she hadn't felt for a very long time.

Henry was devastated. Yes, he thought that Regina was the Evil Queen, and he was right about that. But she was also his mother who raised him, and despite everything he loved her to bits, and she was always a strong woman; seeing her so fragile and broken was a bit of a shock to him. But the scenes that he saw were even worse. He couldn't get his mother's screams, when she thought the baby was dead, out of his ears. Her pleas and cries to her mother, that were ignored of course. He couldn't forget the sight of Cora trying to rip the heart of a 5-minute old baby out. As bad as Regina was, and no matter how horrible the stuff she had done, she never hurt anyone who didn't harm her. And she sure as hell never harmed a child.

They were all snapped out of their reveries by the ringing of a cell phone. David fished his phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Yea" He said, slightly out of breath, and tears were evident in his voice. He listened carefully to what the other person said.

"Yea I know about the incident at the stables Ruby. Thanks for locating the horse. Can you go check on the dwarfs and see if there's anything new? I'm sort of dealing with something right now. Yeah, okay, thanks. Bye."

Regina had calmed down a bit by the end of his phone call; her breathing was a bit more regular now, and it was slowly becoming deeper. Henry wasn't hugging her anymore, but he was still sitting next to her, with his hands on her back and knees.

"Regina, did you bring her along?" David asked her.

"No. I only brought the people I wanted, and besides even if I didn't, she lived in the sea which would have protected her from the curse." Regina said in a hoarse voice.

"So she's still there? With Emma and Snow?" David sought confirmation.

"Yes, I guess so." Regina answered again.

"Cant you use the mirror to look in on her?" Henry suddenly asked.

"I suppose I can. And we can check on Emma and Snow as well." Regina said, as she composed herself and stood up from the stairs, with the help of David and Henry.

**Sorry that this is short, but I am falling asleep, and since it is the 3****rd**** chapter I post today, I'm excused and forgiven. Hope you all enjoy it, and please Review.**


	7. The Little Mermaid

Regina, David and Henry raced back to the room, and this time Regina didn't stop in front of Daniel's coffin; she ran past it and to the mirror. It didn't take long for the rippling to show on the mirror's surface. Regina reached out to ask her question and touch the surface when she hesitated. David and Henry looked at her, and saw that she was slightly shaking.

"Regina, what are you waiting for?" David asked her, only to receive no reply.

"Mom" Henry gently called her, and reached out taking her hand.

Regina finally looked at them, "What if she doesn't know that she's my daughter? And if she does, what if she hates that fact? What if she hates me? God knows she will have every right to." Regina said, tears starting to constrict her throat, and fear gripped her heart.

David sighed, he knew her fears were legit, so he decided not to lie to her, "Those are legitimate fears, and either of them is painful, but at least you'll know she's alright. The rest we'll work out when we get her back. I mean, I wasn't fond of you either," he chuckled, especially at the look she gave him, "but when I heard and saw what happened, even I understand where you came from. So I am sure that if she did too, then she will."

"You think I will show my daughter how her grandmother tried to kill her?" Regina asked, with raised eyebrows.

"Hopefully it wont get that far. Now come on" David told her, and Henry squeezed her hand, and gave her a reassuring smile when she looked at him.

Regina slowly let out a breath, to calm her nerves before reaching out and touching the mirror as she spoke, "Mirror Mirror on the wall, show me the strongest Mermaid of all"

The rippling effect quickened, before it faded away into a scene that left the occupants of the room shocked, to say the least.

_Emma had tears in her eyes, as she looked at her mother, who was hugging someone. All they saw of the person Snow was hugging was the back of her head. She had long, black wavy hair that went past her shoulders, and she was wearing a scarlet dress._

"_I cant believe this. This is worse than anyone's imagination." Emma was saying, as it appears to herself; she seemed in a daze, "She tried to rip your heart out. You were what? 5 minutes old, and she tried to kill you, just because she didn't approve of who your father was." Emma's distraught rant continued._

"_I told you, she's far worse than Regina." Snow said as she let go of the woman she was hugging._

The three occupants of the room gasped at the sight of the girl; she was the spitting image of Regina.

"_That would be an understatement. She makes Regina seem like a cuddly kitten having a bad day, or a bad decade in our case." Emma told her mother, causing both women to laugh through their tears, "I mean, yea sure Regina killed Graham, when I basically stole him. But she never even contemplated the thought of killing Henry, even after she realized who he really was. She didn't mind the damned curse being broken, as long as he lived. But this…this is just sick" Emma ranted._

"_Cora wasn't used to things not going her way. Mom's affair with Daniel and the subsequent pregnancy were not in her plans of how things will go for her. She thought it was over when she killed Daniel, but finding out that his child will always be there was too much for her. Especially when you add the powers; that basically meant the baby was more powerful than her. And we all know that she is a sore loser." Ariel explained._

Regina's tears were flowing, but she was smiling nonetheless. Not only did her daughter know, but she was also calling her 'mom' which meant that she wasn't mad at being her daughter.

"T_his is what I don't understand. How come you have powers?" Snow asked Ariel._

"_When Cora got pregnant, she had magic and powers, so she passed them on to mom. Since mom hated magic and had decided not to use it, it never showed. When she got pregnant with me, she passed it on to me as well. But since Cora tried relentlessly to kill me while I was still inside mom, I used magic, both mine and mom's"_

"_You remember what Cora did to you as a fetus?" Emma incredulously asked._

"_No. I only remember what she did after I was born; trying to rip my heart out and lying to mom about my death. I caused storms over nightmares of mom screaming after she's told that I'm dead. But before my father, King Triton, told me that I was Regina's, he always told me stories of her and Cora; especially Cora and what she did, so that I would understand mom's reasons. So he told me how hard Cora tried to abort my mother, but that apparently I took after my daddy and wouldn't let Cora get her way. I even managed to counter act the spell that Cora did to put a piece of her own soul inside mom. And after I found out who I was and I mastered using water as a looking glass into other times, I used it to find everything about what Cora did, and of course mom. Needless to say I nearly drowned the entire kingdom when I saw the memory of mom pushing Cora into the portal, weeks after I was born."_

"_You didn't know that she did?" Snow asked her._

"_No, no one knew what happened to Cora. They all assumed that when mom came into her powers that she found a way to, sort of, diminish her hold and power. That's why Triton wouldn't let me anywhere near the castle after I found out that I was Regina's; he was worried that Cora might sense me, and then all would be lost."_

Regina's heart constricted when she heard her daughter say, that not only did she know about what Cora tried to do to her when she was born, but that she also remembered it, and remembered her screams and pleas.

"_How old were you?" Emma asked._

"_10. But I always knew that I wasn't really Triton and Athena's daughter. I knew I was born fully human, but they turned me into a mermaid so that I can live with them. They just never told me who my real parents were."_

"_So basically, Gold knew that Cora was out of the way, and that it was safe for you to return to your mother's arms, but he decided to let you grow up away from her, so that one day she can cast the curse for him?" Emma summed up, although her temper was a bit high._

"_Gold?" Ariel wondered._

"_Rumpelstiltskin; Gold is his other identity in our world." Snow explained._

"_Yea, Cora was supposed to enact it for him. But seeing as the thing she loved the most was herself, she couldn't rip her heart out and then enact it. She could only do either. Not that any of us minded the first option." Ariel told them, earning a chuckle from both Snow and Emma._

"_Remind me to buy him a gift for saving your life as a baby, and then kill him for destroying it, along with everyone else's" Emma mumbled._

"_Why didn't you try to contact Regina after you found out?" Snow asked Ariel._

"_L__ike I said, because of Cora. I wasn't powerful enough to stop her, and no one knew that she was already out of the picture. And I was scared that she might kill mom, or hurt her if I showed up. So I stayed away, until I saw that Cora was pushed through a portal, and that she was no longer a danger. But by then, it was too late. Mom had already started enacting the curse." Ariel explained._

"_I__s that why Lancelot didn't want you anywhere near Cora after he captured her? He was worried that she would sense you?" Snow calmly asked._

The occupants of the room looking into the mirror gasped.

"No; this cant be. She cant be there. She's supposed to have gone to a world without magic" Regina was hysterical.

"_Y__ea, he thought that since I am on land, that she will be able to sense past the mermaid magic and find out the truth. I wish he told me, I would have told him that it's not true. And maybe it would have saved his life." Ariel told them._

"_Does it work both ways? Can you sense her if she comes near?" Emma asked._

"_Yeah. Why?"_

"_We captured Captain Hook, and I am hoping to make sure that it's not Cora shape-shifting again." Emma told her._

"_Did you mention that you were coming here to see me?" Ariel asked._

"_No. Mulan said we need to meet a friend, she didn't say your name, or that you were Regina's" Snow told her._

"_Snow, do you mind getting Mulan?. Just don't say my name in front of Hook." Ariel told Snow._

"_Yea of course." Snow said, as she turned around and walked away._

"_You know, finding out that Cora put a piece of her soul inside Regina, and that it was a constant pull between both inside of her makes sense of a lot of things." Emma told Ariel._

"_How?" Ariel asked, as she moved to sit on a nearby rock, showing that the dress had a slit that went up to her mid thigh._

"_The loop holes in the plans. She wanted to always have a way out of things." Emma explained._

"_Yes, she did. Cora first put that piece while she was trying to abort mom; she thought that if it worked then all she has to do was convince mom that my birth will get in her way of greatness. She didn't count on mom's protective instinct and love towards me; they stopped it from taking effect, and I used magic to get rid of it. After my "death", I think mom buried her sadness and her feelings about it deep inside of her, and in a way that helped the piece of Cora to grow and take over. Mom was helping it along unwillingly."_

"_I only watched what Cora did, and I have half a mind to do the exact same thing Regina did." Emma said, causing Ariel to start laughing._

Regina was a mess. She didn't know how to react. Not only did her baby believe that she wasn't all evil, that there was still hope in her. She appeared to love her. And the sound of her laugh warmed Regina's heart a bit. But what Emma said next caused her blood to run cold; she grabbed Henry and secured him between her arms.

"_Is that why she was interested when she found out about Henry?" Emma asked._

"_Yea, she's worried that he will unlock that piece of mom. Which from what you and Snow said, I think he already did. It's just taking more time to show." Ariel answered._

"_I cant blame her. The pain of losing a child is unbearable. And she still thinks you're dead." Emma said._

"_Hopefully, we'll be able to fix all that." Ariel said, and they both turned around at the sound of footsteps._

"_Snow said you wanted to talk to me." Mulan said to Ariel._

"_Yeah, did you mention it in front of Hook that you were coming to see me?"_

"_No. Why?" _

"_A little experiment. Come on, let's go. Just no one calls me by my name until we see how he reacts. Cora doesn't know me; if he's Cora, he wont recognize me." Ariel told them._

The rippling returned, and the three occupants of the room didn't know what to do or how to react.

"At least she's with Emma and Grandma," Henry told the adults.

"More like, at least they're with her." Regina said absent mindedly.

"We need to find a way to get them back." David told them.

"I'm not sure there is. If there is anything to be done, it has to be from their side." Regina told him.

They all looked at the mirror when the rippling faded away into another scene.

_Ariel, Emma and Mulan were walking towards Snow, another woman, and a man who were sitting on a table. The man smiled as soon as he saw Ariel._

"_Ariel, my favorite mermaid." Captain Hook said, outstretching his arms, as if to hug Ariel, as he got up from the table._

"_Hook." Was all Ariel said, as she walked towards them, "cant say I'm glad you're still in one piece." _

"_Well, you know me, I was never a people pleaser."_

"_Unless those people are Cora." Ariel told him as she raised an eyebrow._

"_What can I say? I needed her help to get to Storybrooke so I can skin myself a crocodile." Hook told Ariel._

"_Well, get in line. We all want Rumpelstiltskin's head on a table. But what I want to know is, what kind of deal do you have with her? And with them?"_

"_I HAD a deal with her, now I have one with them. I was supposed to find out everything I can about Storybrooke, so that she doesn't face any surprises when she gets there. But I offered them the magic compass if they agreed to take me along."_

"_How exactly is she planning on getting there?" Ariel asked._

"T_he wardrobe that Snow here used to send Emma. These two burned it, but she collected the ashes. She needed the magic compass to point the way. But I think we may have an advantage over her; after all, water is a portal between realms, and if magic exists there, you can take us."_

"_That would only work if Storybrooke had water" Ariel told him, as gears in her head started clicking._

"_It does." Snow's voice came from beside her, "Can you take us back?" _

"_Of course she can; she's the most powerful witch." Hook teased Ariel._

"_Why does Cora want to go there?" Ariel asked, ignoring both his remark as well as Snow's question._

"_She wants to see her daughter apparently." Hook answered, and all the blood drained from Ariel's face._

"_Can you take us back?" Emma repeated Snow's earlier question, "You failed to mention that."_

"_Mulan, do you mind if you watch him for a moment while I speak to these two?" Ariel said, as she basically dragged Emma and Snow, away from the rest of the group._

"_You didn't tell us you can use water as a portal." Emma accused._

"_That's because I don't want to waste my energy arguing. I wont open it." Ariel fought back._

"_Excuse me?" Emma asked._

"_Look, I get it. You want to go back to your son, and you to your husband; and I want nothing more than to go to my mom. But I will be very much damned if I let Cora get anywhere near any of them." Ariel said._

"_T__hat's easy. We don't take her along." Emma retaliated._

"_You think it's that easy? For all we know, this is all part of her plan; she's an old woman, so she couldn't climb the beanstalk, let alone fight the giant at the top. For all we know, she knows about how I can use water as a portal and she's just waiting for the chance to jump in after us. I wont open the portal and pray to God that she wont jump in at the last minute." Ariel said through gritted teeth._

"_She's right." Snow finally said._

_Before either of them were able to say anything, they heard a scream coming from the camp site._

**I know…evil cliffhanger. Next chapter wont be long I promise. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**To my reviewers, thank you so much for the support and feedback, and I promise I will update as much as I can.**


	8. Recognitions

_Emma, Snow and Ariel raced back to the camp site, and were met with a horrific sight. Cora was standing there using her magic to pin Aurora and Mulan in their places, while she advanced on Hook, completely oblivious to the other three. Ariel snapped one of her fingers, and a lightning bolt hit the ground under Cora's feet, causing her to lose balance, as well as control over Aurora and Mulan. She then stretched her hand towards where Mulan and Aurora were, along with Hook, and a ring of fire surrounded them, effectively isolating them from Cora._

"_Go stand with them, NOW" Ariel yelled at Snow and Emma._

"_How? You put fire around them?" Snow yelled back._

"_Just walk through it; it won't hurt you I promise."_

"_What about you?" Emma asked._

"_I'll be fine, just go. NOW!" Ariel yelled again, as she saw Cora get up and glare at her. _

Regina, David and Henry stared in shock and horror at the sight before them. And Regina was shaking her head hard, and silently praying that her mother won't kill her daughter.

"_You think you can stand up to me." Cora said in a mocking tone._

"_I think you have that backwards, Cora." Ariel retaliated._

_Cora moved closer to Ariel, expecting the latter to back away, and was surprised when she held her grounds._

"_You're arrogant, and it will cost you your life." Cora threateningly said, as she drew a fireball out of the ring that Ariel made, and threw it at her. All Ariel did was flick her wrist, and the fireball evaporated into thin air._

_Suddenly Cora gasped, "No." she whispered._

_Ariel was incredibly baffled by her reaction, but didn't let it fool he;, for all she knows, it's a trap._

"_You're dead. I gave you to Rumpelstiltskin, and he killed you." Cora roared, as she threw another fireball at Ariel._

"_Ah, but you see, he may have been the Dark One, but he was never able to harm children." Ariel said, through gritted teeth._

"_You look just like your mother, and apparently you think you can stand up to me, like she did when she wouldn't get rid of you." Cora tried to bind Ariel, with magic of course, but it seemed to have no effect on Ariel._

"_Thanks for the compliment. And I did stand up to you; you couldn't kill me when I was 5 minutes old, what makes you think you can do it now?" Ariel taunted._

_The last sentence caused Cora to roar in anger, and threw a massive fireball at Ariel. Ariel just stood her grounds and didn't seem like she was retaliating. Inches away from her body, a water barrier came out from the ground at Ariel's feet and immediately put the fireball out._

"_The person you are fighting for doesn't exist anymore; your mother is just as much of a monster as I am." _

"_Oh she exists alright. I just have to get you out of her."_

"_This isn't over. You may have won a battle, but you wont win the war" Cora threatened._

"_We'll see about that." Ariel answered._

_Cora disappeared in her purple fume, and Ariel let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She turned to the fire, waved her hand and made it disappear._

"_That's why Lancelot didn't want you near her. The resemblance?" Snow said, as she stepped over the ashes of the burned branches._

"_Yes, he said that Ariel looked exactly like her mother; the resemblance was too much for anyone to ignore, including a heartless hag like Cora. Especially that she tried to kill her repeatedly; so in the least she would have recognized the fire in her eyes." Mulan answered, "His words not mine" she added, as she saw the look Ariel gave her._

"_Well, the cat is out of the bag. She knows who you are, and she's gonna try to beat us to Storybrooke. So what now?" Emma asked._

_They all looked at Ariel, "I have no idea" she answered._

With that the mirror returned to normal, and Regina was beyond hysterical now.

"This can't be happening. This can't be. She's there, with them, and she knows who she is. She knows she's not dead, and she's trying to finish the job." Regina ranted as she paced the room.

David had tried calling her name a few times, but she either ignored him, or didn't even hear him. Henry finally walked over to her, grabbed her hand and jolted her around to face him, yelling "MOM". Regina finally stopped and looked at him.

"I know that this is bad. Ok, well, maybe beyond bad. But you saw what she was capable of, she protected herself against your mom when she was a baby, and a fetus too. And now we just saw her defend herself as well as Emma and grandma, and pretty effortlessly too. She's strong, and determined, and she won't let Cora hurt her. If anything, she won't give her the pleasure." Henry told her, and she couldn't help but smile as she looked into his eyes. She took her hands out of his, and wrapped him in a hug, and was delighted to feel him hug her back, tightly too.

"And grandpa, she won't hurt Emma and Snow, Ariel won't let her do that either." Henry told his grandfather.

"I know. Which is why we need to figure this whole situation out." David told them.

**Sorry that this is short, but I am kind of beat. Hope you all enjoy it, and I will try to update again tonight. Please R&R.**


	9. Confrontations,Revelations and Plans

Rumpelstiltskin was at his shop, cleaning one of his nick-nacs, when the front door burst open, and in walked Regina, David and Henry.

"I thought we had a deal, _Sheriff."_ He said to David.

"SHUT UP, you twisted little imp." Regina snapped at him, "You wanted me to turn; you wanted me to hold the grudge against Snow so that one day I enact the curse. I should have killed you as soon as we got here." She continued, glaring at him.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow, your majesty" he calmly told her.

Regina curled her hand into a fist, and was trying hard not to plunge it into his chest and rip his heart out. Henry and David saw that, so Henry took a hold of her hand, and David decided to interfere.

"Ariel." Was all he said, as he closely watched his peer's reaction. Rumpelstiltskin's face paled immediately, but he still answered, "The little mermaid, what about her?" he calmly asked, although his face betrayed his composure.

"We know what you did, taking her from Cora and giving her to the mermaids." Henry told him.

"I saved her life." Rumpelstiltskin glared at them, "your mother tried to rip her heart out, just like she did to her father. The only way to hide her was if she became a mermaid, otherwise your mother would have sensed her magic and would have come after her again." He angrily told them.

"I summoned you a week after I gave birth, and you gave me the portal then. She was out of the picture, a week after that, supposed to be in a world without magic, but that's another issue. You could have brought back my baby to me, but you chose to let me believe that she was dead. You made me lose hope in all that I believed in." Regina yelled.

"I was going to bring her back, but then you turned into your mother, and I thought it would be safer if the child stayed with the mermaids." He retaliated.

"You forced my hands. I wanted Daniel back, and I wanted revenge. Whale told me everything. You knew that if he failed that I would lose it all, and you gave me the final push. So don't you dare tell me I turned into her." Regina yelled through gritted teeth.

David decided to stop the fight, so that they can get some results.

"Listen, we won't get anywhere like this. Cora is with them and we need to help them get here, and let your daughter know that we know about her." David said.

"Cora is there?" Rumple asked, seeming genuinely shocked.

"Yes. You lied to me about the portal, it didn't send her to a world without magic, she's in our land, and she already attacked them, and recognized Ariel." Regina glared at him.

"Regina I wanted your mother gone more than you did, so if the portal didn't work, it might be because of her magic. As for Ariel, she is more than capable of protecting herself, no worries dearie."

"How do we get them back? Or the very least send them a message?" David said, trying to keep his focus on topic, he couldn't blame Regina, he wanted to deck the guy himself. But letting emotions take over won't do any good.

"I have no idea. The curse was a one way portal. Most portals are, we can't go to them, but Ariel can bring them here. Water is a portal, and she is more than capable of using is to come here." Rumple told them.

"Yes, we know and so does she. But she doesn't want to open it as long as Cora is looming by, she's scared that she might jump in at the last second. And we both know Cora being unleashed on Storybrooke is not good." David told him.

"Then I'm afraid I can't help you. Now if you please excuse me, I have an appointment I need to catch." Rumple said to them, as he smiled just to spite Regina. Regina moved to punch him, but David held her back and dragged her out of the shop, with Henry following behind.

"David, let me go." Regina struggled against David's firm hold.

"Regina you can't kill him and you know it. He's the Dark One, and I imagine your daughter would appreciate it if you're in one piece when she gets here, and Henry needs you too." David told her. He knew it was a lot blow,but his words had the desired effect, so he didn't regret it, that much. She calmed down immediately and looked at Henry. "I just..." was all she said, "I know" David told her. Henry moved forward and hugged her, "You'll find a way. You always do." He assured her, and she bent down kissing the top of his head.

David couldn't help but smile. Yes, she had done some pretty horrible things, but even he couldn't deny her love for Henry, and it seemed that said love was helping her find the path she once lost. He fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number, "Ruby, it's me. I need you to go pick up Archie and meet me at Regina's house. Yes, Regina. I'll explain when I see you. Thank you." He hung up the phone, and chuckled at the identical confused looks his grandson and his mother were giving him, "I'll explain to you both when we get there, as well." He said as he led them to his car, and made a mental note to tell Ruby to get Regina's car from in front of Archie's house,;where it was left when they went to the vault in David's car.

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David pulled into Regina's driveway, and found Ruby leaning on her car with Archie standing in front of her, talking. Ruby straightened up when she saw them, and Archie turned to look at them.

"David, are you sure about this?" Ruby asked, as she warily watched Regina, as she walked with Henry by her side.

"Yes, Ruby. Don't worry. Now if you all come inside, I will explain it all." He said as he walked to the front door, and pulled out his keys, about to use them to open the door, "I don't think they'll work." Regina's voice came from behind him, he turned around chuckling, especially at her raised eyebrow and smirk, "Force of habit." He said, as he stepped back and allowed Regina to open the door, and let them all in.

"I'll explain." He whispered to Ruby, after noticing her questioning glare.

They all walked into the house, and Regina let them to the sitting room.

"How did the mirror quest go?" Archie asked, as they all sat down; Archie and Ruby on one couch, Regina and Henry on the other, while David sat on the arm rest of the couch.

"What mirror quest?" Ruby asked, looking confused.

The other occupants of the room, looked at each other, before looking at Regina, who was staring at a spot on the coffee table. She finally looked up and gave David a nod, as she squeezed Henry's hand tight.

"Did Snow ever tell you about Daniel? Or why Regina had a grudge against her?" David asked Ruby.

"No." she answered.

"Snow didn't know, until she took a bite out of the apple." Regina told him, although she still looked distraught.

"OH, well, Daniel was the man Regina fell in love with." David calmly told Ruby.

Ruby's head snapped in Regina's direction, and noticed the tears that were brimming in her eyes.

"He was their stable boy," David continued, "and Regina's mother wasn't very fond of the idea. She was ruthless, actually, ruthless doesn't even describe her. She's far worse than Regina." David said, and noted that Ruby's confusion turned into shock.

"Yea, I know, hard to believe at first, but bear with me. When Snow's father proposed to Regina, her mother said yes, because she wanted the power. She already had magic, but she wanted more. Snow saw Regina and Daniel kissing, she was very young and…." David trailed off not knowing how to finish.

"She told your mother." Ruby said, directing her statement at Regina, who nodded.

"Cora, Regina's mother, didn't like him, or the fact that he was ruining her plans, so she killed him." David said, and Ruby gasped, "Oh My God".

"She ripped his heart out in front of Regina." David continued.

Regina's tears were flowing openly now, and she couldn't care less that Ruby can see them.

"I'm so sorry Regina. This is terrible." Ruby said, and Regina saw the sincerity in her statement, so she gave her a grateful smile.

"That's not the worse part." David said.

"It's not?!" Ruby exclaimed, her eyebrows hitting her hairline from the surprise.

"I discovered that I was pregnant after he died. And since I hadn't married the King, I knew that the baby was his." Regina stated, "My mother was furious, and wanted me to abort the baby, but I refused. She used magic to disguise it, till I had the baby." She continued.

"That's not so bad." Ruby said, wondering why they said that the worst part was yet to come; she had a baby, that's good, isn't it?

"No, that part isn't. But Cora told Regina that the baby was born dead, and she wouldn't even let Regina hold her before she supposedly buried her in the woods." David said. By then Ruby's mouth was wide open from the shock, with both hands covering it. David waited for the information to sink in first with her before he continued. He was about to speak when Ruby talked, "I'm a little surprised that the baby survived the pregnancy. I mean, you said Cora had magic, I'm guessing she would have tried earlier to get rid of it." Ruby exclaimed.

"Her, it was a girl. And mother did try to get rid of her, but she had magic too and fought back." Regina said.

Ruby smiled and said "Mommy's girl apparently", and Regina smiled fondly, and snickered, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Anyways, today after the stable incident with Daniel…." He was interrupted by Ruby again, "Daniel?! I thought you said he was dead?"

Regina filled her in on the story of Whale and Jefferson from fairytale land, as well as what happened earlier that day, including what Daniel said.

"He was a smart guy." Henry spoke for the first time, "If you believe in love again, you will find your way back again." He told his mother, and she smiled at him again. "I know" she said softly, and leaned forward and kissed his forehead, and Ruby couldn't believe that the woman sitting in front of her was the Evil Queen.

"As I was saying, after the stable incident, Regina went to Archie and told him all of this. He called me and told me to bring Henry and stop by. We went and she told us what happened, as well as her name, Aria." David said, pausing to allow Ruby time to grasp all the information. Ruby's eyebrows suddenly furrowed and looked at David, then her head snapped in Regina's direction, "No, but she's dead. Your daughter died." Ruby said, although it seemed more of a question than a statement.

"No she didn't. Cora lied; she cast a spell to make her seem dead to everyone, and then gave her to Rumplestilskin to kill, only he couldn't and…" David was interrupted by Ruby, "and he gave her to the mermaids. Oh my god, how could I have been so blind? She's the spitting image of you." Ruby said as she looked at Regina.

"You know her?" David asked.

"Yea, Ariel. I know her very well." Ruby said.

"So Henry was right. Ariel is your daughter?" Archie asked.

"Henry? He's the one who put this together?" Ruby asked in shock.

"Yes." Regina said, before David took over and filled Ruby and Archie about what they saw in the mirror, both the memories of what happened, as well as the Cora incident in the present. And Henry told Ruby how he put it all together.

Both Archie and Ruby were crying by the end of the story, especially after they heard about Cora's frequent murder attempts against the baby.

"So basically, we have her and Rumplestilskin to blame for the situation that we're in. Yes, you did have a hand in it, but who can blame you?" Ruby ranted. David and Henry smiled, having flashbacks of Emma saying the same thing, and they both nodded.

"You said you knew her?" Regina asked Ruby.

"Um, yeah, I know her pretty well actually. But seeing as I never really saw you in our land I never saw the resemblance, and it didn't click in my head until now." Ruby answered, but she seemed in a daze.

"How do you know her?" Henry asked.

"When I was a kid, I was walking on the beach at night and I saw her, we talked and we became friends immediately. She used to come ashore every night, and we would talk and play games, especially with her magic. According to Granny, the first time I became a wolf I was with her. She used her magic on me and subdued me, she even managed to turn me back. But seeing me so distraught and confused, she lied to me and said I fell and hit my head, took me back home, and told Granny what happened. The next day, Granny found Ariel at the door in the middle of the day with the hood you saw, saying it was made from the same magic she used on me the night before, and that as long as I wear it, I won't become a wolf. I didn't see her again till years later, as I was never allowed out of the house during the night, so that I don't turn, and she only comes ashore at night." Ruby recounted, "But after I learned the truth, about who I am, I heard rumors of a mermaid who terrified the Pirates and knew it was her. So I stayed on the shore once, and called her and she came. We met many times after that, we actually met the day before the curse." She continued on.

"Snow said that Granny paid a wizard for that hood." David wondered.

"Yeah I know. That's the story she tells everyone, and she told me not to tell anyone the truth."

"She never told you who she really was?" David asked.

"No, and I can't blame her." Ruby said, "But Cora is right Regina, she takes a lot after who you were, before becoming the Evil Queen." And when she saw Regina's confused look, she added, "Snow told me stories of it. She said she missed you, and how bad she felt for hurting the only mother she ever knew." Regina's face softened, and she closed her eyes as more tears fell from them.

"Hold on, Granny knew that Ariel made the hood, and she still told you not to tell anyone?" Archie said, as realization hit him.

"Yea, why? Does it have any significance?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, it does. It means that Granny might have figured out her true identity, and she didn't tell anyone and made you lie about where you got the hood to protect her. She knew people might hunt her down and kill her just to get revenge on Regina." He explained.

"Well, we can go ask her." Ruby offered.

"No, I'll go get her, none of this talk leaves this house. Rumplestilskin knows we know, but I highly doubt he'll talk and put the blame on himself, especially with Belle around. No body outside of this room will know what happened. And Ruby, you are officially assigned as protective detail to Regina and Henry, if I'm not with them, you are. And as long as Henry's at school, you're here with Regina. They will both remain together for the majority of the time" David instructed.

"Why do I need protective detail? Gold won't come near me." Regina said.

"I'm not taking any chances. And besides, Ruby will be able to sense danger before it hits, just in case your mother finds a way here." He told them, " So am I clear?" he looked at the occupants of the room.

They all nodded, "Good, I'm going to get Granny. You all wait here."

"Actually, I don't think I'm needed here anymore. Your secret is safe with me and whenever I'm needed you know where to find me."Archie said as he got up from his seat, "Do you mind giving me a ride to the office?" he asked David.

"Sure." David answered, as they both left the house.

As soon as they heard the front door close, the room fell into silence.

Regina was still reeling from the events of the previous couple of hours. In less than 6 hours, she had found out that her fiancé was back from the dead, only to be forced to send him back to the land of the dead. She then found out, that not only did her mother lie about her daughter's death, but that apparently she tried to keep her word, and kill her. Her baby had to defend herself, as well as her mommy from the womb, all the way into her first minutes on earth. She smiled as she remembered how her daughter called her mom, more than once. It seemed that she didn't mind being the daughter of the Evil Queen, moreover, she seemed to love her. She had watched her mother try to kill her baby, yet again. And she knew that they were both stranded in the Enchanted Forrest and there was nothing she can do about it, she can't help her baby.

Ruby was still trying to get over the shock of, well, of everything she's learned so far. She couldn't imagine how Ariel must have felt all those times she heard Ruby talk about how horrible Regina was.

Henry was the one who decided to break the silence, "Mom, do you have anything to eat? I'm sort of starving."

"Of course sweetheart, come on, I'll make us some lunch." Regina said as they all got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Do you have something in mind , or should I just make you your favorite?" Regina asked as she entered the kitchen, and Henry's wide grin gave her the answer, "Your favorite it is," she chuckled, "What about you Ruby?" she added.

Ruby snapped out of her trance at the mention of her name, "I guess I'll have what he's having. I'm not that hungry anyways." She said in a daze.

"Something on your mind?" Henry asked, as Regina moved around the kitchen preparing the food.

"I'm still trying to grasp all that you guys told me, that's all. I mean it's not easy finding out all that." She said.

Regina snorted, and Ruby looked at her, "I know it must be worse for you, but if it's any consolation, Ariel's wonderful, and she loves you." Ruby told Regina.

"How do you know that? I thought she never told you she was mine." Regina asked confused.

"No, but she talked a lot about her birth mother, she always said how much she loved her, and how much she knows she loved her, but that she couldn't keep her, or else she would have been in danger. And I know she used water as a looking glass, and that never lies." Ruby explained, and smiled sympathetically at Regina when she saw the tears in her eyes.

"She's a wonderful person Regina, and despite everything I told her about you, I don't ever think I sensed hate from her towards you, and I'm a wolf, so I know. And I know that you're worried sick about her being on the same land as Cora, especially that she knows who Ariel is now, but she is more than capable of protecting herself, I mean she was 9 when she made the hood for me, and apparently 5 minutes old when she stood up to Cora the first time. Heck , she stood up to her while she was a fetus. And I know Ariel, she won't give Cora the pleasure of killing her." Ruby smirked as she said the last part, and a smile appeared on her lips, as she remembered her friend.

"Henry said the same thing, he seems to think she is stubborn enough." Regina said, as a fond smile graced her lips.

Ruby snorted, "Stubborn would be an understatement. She's overprotective, and Cora did something worse than pissing her off; she hurt you, and she does not like it when the people she loves get hurt. And she's ruthless in dealing with those responsible. Pirates stopped even trying to capture mermaids because of her. To them, she was worse than Davy Jones and his Dead Man's Chest. I mean she went all the way to Neverland, to get back a mermaid they took, and to make sure that the ones there are safe. That's how Hook knew her. She promised to let him go, if he gave her his word that no mermaid would be harmed in Neverland. And other pirates, outside of Neverland, were just terrified of her, seeing as she was the one to finally be powerful enough to stand up to them. Especially that their usual tricks to neutralize a mermaid's powers had no effect on her, so they decided to stay the hell away from her, and not get on her bad side."

Regina couldn't help the smile, or the pride that she felt.

"Thank you, Ruby." She genuinely said, just as the doorbell rang, "I'll get it, you two eat." Regina added as she placed the plates and went to get the door.

Seconds later, she walked in with Granny and David closely behind.

"Do you guys want some lunch?" she asked over her shoulders.

"No, thanks." Was heard from both parties.

"David said you wanted to talk to me, but that it had to be in private." Granny said in stoic manner.

"Yes, we all do." Regina said, although she was calm.

"You told people that Ruby's hood was made by a wizard." Regina started, and received a nod from Granny, "Yes, I paid a fortune for it. But it was worth it, it helped." Granny said.

"But that's not the truth, is it?" David asked.

"What are you talking about?" Granny asked, a bit of shock and suspicion evident in her voice.

"Ariel was the one who made it." Ruby chimed in.

Granny glared at her, and was about to answer, when Henry interrupted, "We know about her." Granny looked at David and then at Ruby, and when they both nodded, she sighed and caved in, "Yes, it was Ariel who made it. She was 9 but she did it to prevent Ruby from hurting anyone while she's a wolf. The poor thing was drained when she came with it, having been attacked by Ruby the night before didn't help. Especially that she hadn't allowed Triton to heal the cuts Ruby made, she said she needed them as she makes the hood." Granny explained.

Ruby had a horrified look on her face, "I attacked her?" she tearfully asked.

"Yes, it appears she didn't want to use her magic on you, out of fear of hurting you, but when you attacked, she did, and managed to subdue you and turn you back. So she made the hood at once, to make sure you don't harm anyone, not everyone is as forgiving as she is."

"She never said anything." Ruby whispered, before turning to Regina, "What did I tell you?" she said as she smiled at Regina, a meaningful smile.

"Yes, we already established that she's stubborn." Regina said, as she laughed slightly.

"Why did you tell people that a wizard made it?" David asked.

Granny was silent for a while, as she looked at Regina and saw the look in her eyes, realization hit her, "Because I knew she was yours." Granny said to Regina.

"How?"

"I would recognize those eyes anywhere Regina. And even as a child, she still looked a lot like you. And the stubbornness to accept help was Daniel all over."

Regina looked baffled at the last sentence, "You knew Daniel?" she asked.

"Yes, I knew him as a young boy, and I knew he fell in love with you, he came and told me. So when I saw her standing at the door, with huge deep cuts on her arm and trunk with a magic hood, looking incredibly exhausted and pale, and still refused to burden and me and let me help her, I knew she was Daniel's at once. And I realized that if word got out of how powerful she is, she will be in danger. Bounty hunters, Rumplestilskin, wizards trying to get the upper hand over you, and since no one knew what happened to Cora, I was scared that she might kill her if she got wind of it. And that if people realized who she really was, that they might kill her just to get back at you."

Regina was leaning on the counter to support her weight, and had tears flowing down her cheeks. Tales of her daughter still had that effect on her, and she imagined, they will for a long time.

"How did you convince her to let you help her?" Regina asked, "Daniel never did unless he…" she trailed and her eyes widened in horror, especially when Granny nodded.

"Exactly, she fainted from the exhaustion. Red was asleep in her room, and it was still daytime, so there was no danger. I locked the door, picked her up and took her to the sea, to a hidden spot where Triton can show without being spotted. I put her in the water, but kept her head floating, and called for him. He healed her through the water. When she woke up, she turned into a mermaid and left. Triton came after she left, and told me that she still doesn't know the truth, and that he wants me to stay quiet. And I promised him I will, I may not have been very fond of you by then, but I wasn't going to let the innocent little girl pay for it. Especially, if she was Daniel's" Granny said.

All Regina could do was nod. Her heart and mind were racing with thoughts and emotions, but the one thought that stood out was that she wanted to hold her daughter, she wanted her safe in her arms, away from her mother.

"How did you find out about her?" Granny finally asked. And Regina could faintly register Ruby, Henry and David filling her in. She couldn't think anymore, she felt her chest getting tighter, as scenarios of what her mother can do to her baby raced through her mind. Yes she knew she was powerful, but she didn't want her baby to keep fighting for her life. She jolted out of her trance when a hand was placed on her back. She looked up and saw that it was Granny, "I know what's going through your mind. But she will be fine. Cora won't be able to hurt her, and she will find a way back here; if not for herself, Emma and Snow; she will do it to spite Cora." And at the last sentence both Regina and Ruby started laughing.

"That seems to be the general consent." Regina said through her tears and laughs, "I just want her back, and I need to start making things right." She told Granny.

"You're off to a good start." Granny assured her.

"I think I need to take a walk, just to clear my head." She told the group. David was about to protest when she said, "Ruby can tail me if you want, watch me from a distance."

"Alright" he sighed, "Just be careful."

"I think it will be wise, if for the time being, you and Henry stayed with Regina." Granny said before Regina left, "Ruby can keep an eye on them while you look over things in town, especially the dwarfs, and you can keep an eye on them when you're back." She added.

"I think that would be a good idea." Henry said, as he looked at his grandfather, and David saw the plea in them, and as he looked at Regina, he saw the same plea and longing as she looked at Henry.

"Alright, I think it would be a good idea. That way I know you pay attention to your lessons while I'm gone." He teased Henry, as he ruffled his hair. Regina gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you", she walked towards Henry, bent down and kissed him, before looking at Ruby "Shall we?" and with that they both walked out of the house.

"We need to get a few things from the house." David told Henry.

"And I need to ask the Fairies if we can use fairy dust, if we found any, to send a message to our land." Granny said.

"Just don't tell them why, or give any details. Especially about Ariel." David said.

"Of course not. No one will know what was said in this house." She told him.

**Since the last chapter was short I made this super long…so you all enjoy cause I probably won't be able to update till next week….hope you all enjoy it.**

**To all the reviewers….thank you so much for your support and feedback.**


	10. Redemption

Regina had taken off her shoes, and was walking barefooted in the waters. The water was a bit cold, and she knew she was risking coming down with something, but she didn't care. The water made her feel close to her daughter, and a walk on the beach always calmed her down. Her mind was racing with thoughts; her daughter, her mother, Daniel, her transformation and the subsequent pain bestowed on everyone, and finally Snow. What Ruby had said about Snow, wasn't a one way thing; it was mutual. Snow was like a daughter to Regina for a while, she sought comfort in her when she missed her own baby girl. And in one split second; when she allowed her rage and despair over Daniel's death to take over, she allowed the piece of her mother's soul to take over, and all was lost. She buried her love for Snow, as well as her love for her daughter, deep inside of her; so it would stop taunting her, and pulling her back from the road she had taken; the very very dark road. Her own daughter still had faith in her, same for Henry, and maybe even Snow on some level. She sighed, as how much she had hurt Snow dawned on her. Yes, she told her mother about her Daniel, but Snow was just a child. And let's face it, her mother was a conniving woman who knew how to charm her way into getting what she wanted; God knows she fooled her into thinking she accepted Daniel and her pregnancy. And if charms didn't work, she used magic; which is what she used on Daniel, as well as Ariel, succeeding in one and failing in the other.

Regina smiled and her hand fell to her stomach, rubbing it longingly, as the memory of her daughter standing up to her mother played in her mind; the look on her mother's face when she told her she was pregnant with Daniel's child; and last but not least, the way she looked after some of the falls she had while pregnant. And as she searched her memory more, she realized that David was right; there seemed a few occasions where her mother acted weird.

She looked down at her feet, and saw how the water carried the sand to tickle her toes, she wiggled her toes in the water, and laughed at the sensation. She realized that she doesn't remember the last time she was happy; ever since Daniel, she wouldn't let herself feel the happiness out of fear of losing it, like she did with Daniel. She lost her way after he died, no actually; she lost it after she realized that as long as she's good, she won't be happy. She lost it the second she believed her mother's words, that power was the only thing that lasts. Her thirst for power nearly cost her own son and her daughter; one of them at least. Yes, Snow was her daughter, she raised her, and she may have forgotten about it, but she loved her. And in that moment, she knew that Daniel was right when he told her to love again. She realized that her love for Henry is what's keeping her together right now; that her daughter's love for her is what kept Ariel going all this time, is what kept her faith in her mother; and that said love is why she's choosing to stay away from her, to make sure that Cora doesn't reach her. She had to make things right, and she had to start with David and Snow, when she gets back, and take it from there. Maybe she can find a way to send the people back to the land, or let them leave Storybrooke, whatever they choose. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she will soldier on. She will fight; this time for what is right.

She turned around, and saw Ruby standing a few feet away from her, looking at her. "What's on your mind, Deputy?" Regina asked her.

"Deputy?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow, as she closed the distance between the two.

"Well, if David is the Sheriff, then I guess that would make you Deputy." Regina told her.

"No thank you, I am more than happy being a waitress in Granny's. But a bodyguard is good too" She joked, earning a laugh from Regina.

"I'm not sure I've ever heard you laugh." Ruby said.

"I'm not sure I ever did, since Daniel passed." Regina told her, as she felt the pain stab at her heart again.

"You really loved him?" Ruby asked.

"More than anything. I wasn't always the Evil Queen, I became like this because I believed my mother when she said that it was the only way to be happy, and that power is the only thing that lasts. But she was wrong, and so was I for believing her, and for hurting people to fuel my fake happiness, especially people I love."

"Snow."

"And Henry. God, what I did to him was awful. Actually what I did was awful, to him and to everyone. And I'm willing to face whatever price they through at me, as long as I pay it, not someone else."

"I don't think it's that black and white, Regina. Cora had a piece of her inside of you, which your pain and sadness over Daniel, as well as Ariel, fueled and you slowly turned into her. Yes, it doesn't excuse it all, but it makes sense of all the weird loopholes you left, you wanted a way out. Instead of killing Snow, you gave her a sleeping potion. And you bent over backwards to get David out of King George's hands, when you could've just let George kill him, so that at any time, you can set him free, and let him break the curse on Snow. And I'm guessing that day you left a loophole for him to work through. And on top of it all, you didn't enact the curse, till Snow had the baby. Again, a way out. And you gave it enough time for Emma to escape through the wardrobe; and so on. These things didn't make sense to me before, but now they do. The piece of Cora inside of you was doing all the dark stuff, and the true you, hidden deep in the catacombs, kept leaving opening, doors, alternate escapes. That counts for a lot. And I think that people will understand, especially if they saw what happened."

Regina smiled gratefully at Ruby, "Thanks Ruby." She genuinely said.

"No problem, it's the truth. When Ariel gets here ask her, I do not sugar coat things, nor do I compliment without meaning it." Ruby said, earning a chuckle from Regina.

"I appreciate that, I like honest people."

Ruby smiled at her, "Go ahead, ask away." She told Regina.

"Excuse me." Regina said, and as she looked at Ruby, Ruby noticed that the icy look Regina had, was no longer there; her eyes were warm and her face was a bit brighter, if you ignore the dark circles, from all the crying.

"I know you want to know things about Ariel, so ask away."

Regina smiled, and signaled for Ruby to walk next to her.

"How was her life with Triton and Athena?"

"Pretty great. They only had her, so they spoiled her. She was powerful, so they made sure she knew how to use her powers properly. As you well know she is incredibly stubborn, so they worried about her, especially when one time she was chased half way around the ocean, by a 5 foot shark." Ruby laughed as she recounted the story.

"You're laughing?" Regina mockingly accused, as she was also laughing.

"Yeah, Triton nearly caused the sea to move out of its place when he found out. She was unharmed and all, but he was still furious. For a week or so, he wouldn't let her move outside of the palace without guards, and she hated it. She hadn't turned 9, and she gave them hell. She was sneaky, and knew how to disappear."

"Oh, she's my daughter alright."

"Yes, I imagine sneaking around with a mother like Cora wasn't easy, and it may have passed onto her genes, so good luck." Ruby snickered, and Regina mock glared at her.

"When she went after the Pirates, who took the mermaid to Neverland, Triton was beyond furious. Especially that she disappeared for a week; when she finally returned, he seriously contemplated taking away her mermaid magic, but she managed to calm him down, as I would guess, by telling him that if he does that, she is as good as dead."

Regina was smiling, but tears were running down her cheeks, happy tears though.

"She doesn't hate you Regina, even after everything you have done. And believe me, I used to rant to her about it all, I never sensed anger or hate from her. Always sadness, and I thought it was about Snow, but now I know. It was for you too. She loves you, and from what David told me, she would rather remain in our land away from you, just so that Cora doesn't get her hands on you. And she wont let anything happen to Snow and Emma."

"I know she wont, but I don't want her to keep fighting. She's been doing that since she was inside of me. She needs to be safe, she needs to let loose and be herself, stop acting so mature, and act her age. She would have barely turned 20 when I cast the curse."

"Yeah, she had. That's why I saw her the day before the curse, I was giving her her birthday present."

"I just….I miss her, and I wanna hold her. I never got a chance to do that."

"You will." Ruby assured Regina as she put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Come on we need to head back before David sends the cavalierly to look for us."

Ruby laughed and both started walking towards Ruby's car.

"Can we drop by Archie's office? I need to get my car."

"Sure. Let's go."

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David came back at the end of that day, and heard screams from one of the rooms upstairs, he immediately bolted upstairs, fearing the worse. He followed the noise to one of the rooms, flinging the door open, only to receive a pillow in his face. That was followed by sounds of hysterical laughs, and Ruby's apologetic voice, "Oops, sorry David." He looked around the room, and realized that he was in the master bedroom, Regina's room. Henry was on top of the bed, with a pillow in his hand, Regina and Ruby were on the floor, Regina with a pillow and Ruby without, they were both barefooted, and Regina had taken off her jacket. Regina was standing a few steps in front of him. All three of them had red cheeks, and were slightly out of breath.

"That was meant for Regina." Ruby explained, and David's eyebrows hit his hairline. Regina was having pillow fights now?!

"And here I thought you were training to defend yourselves using pillows." He joked.

"Nop. We were just having some fun. God knows we all need it today." Henry said, though he was out of breath.

"Yeah" David chuckled.

"Well, since you're here, I am going to head home. And I'll see you in the morning." Ruby said, as she tapped David on the shoulder. She waved bye to Henry and Regina and left, a few seconds later, they heard the front door close.

Henry plopped down on the bed, "I'm beat" he declared, earning a laugh out of his mother, as well as grandfather.

"Any news?" Regina asked David, as she located her shoes, to put them back on before they head downstairs for dinner.

"We still haven't found any dust, but the fairies told Granny that it can be used to use the mirror as a delivery service. We cant send people, but we can send a message. So now the dwarfs are working twice as hard, and don't worry, none of them know what is going on."

"Good, thank you David." Regina said, and relief was evident in her voice.

"Don't mention it." He told her.

"Henry, do you mind if you give me a minute with your grandfather alone?" she asked Henry, only to receive no reply. She turned around and found that he had curled up on her bed and fell asleep.

"Oh, well let's go downstairs then." She quietly told David, who nodded. She went to the bed,and twisted the covers around to cover Henry, before she ushered David out of the room.

They went downstairs and into the kitchen, so they can have dinner. After dinner was set, they both sat down and Regina finally said what was on her mind.

"David, I need to apologize to you."

"Regina, there's no need. I've seen and heard enough. You're already forgiven, and I know you regret it." David told her sincerely.

"That's sweet, but even if I don't need to, I want to." She told him, and he nodded.

Regina let out a breath, then started talking, "When mother ripped Daniel's heart out, I was devastated. She told me that night, that love was weakness, that it's an illusion, and that it will go away with time. And that all that will last eventually is power, that power endures it all. That power is true happiness, and that power is the only way to be happy. From that day forward, everything that happened seemed to confirm that idea. I thought I had no choice but to become cold, and not allow myself to love again. I buried Daniel's love inside of me, as well as my love for Snow. And all I saw was that her sweetness and love were what destroyed it all. I thought that I would only feel happiness, if she's miserable. But even when we were here, and I did manage to get what I wanted, I wasn't truly happy. A part of me always yelled at me to stop this madness, that she was a child, and innocent. To not hurt the only daughter I had, and to not destroy the image of the only mother she ever had. But every time I tried to do that, the pain of losing Daniel and my daughter came back, so I would crush inside of me, and it helped the piece of my mother's soul inside of me, to keep growing, as well as take over. I know that doesn't excuse it, but I want you to know that I am truly sorry. And I will try to make it up, although I know there are certain things, that I wont ever be able to make up for, and I will accept whatever price or punishment you two see fit."

"There will be no price or punishment. I think you've had enough of those. And Emma is right, Regina left loopholes for us to escape through, Cora was the one stealing everything away. It's like what I did as David Nolan, I still know I did it, but that doesn't mean I meant it. And like when Ruby killed people as the wolf. And like I said, I already forgave you, and by the looks of it so have Snow. But I appreciate the apology, and I'm sure she will too. She will be thrilled to get her mother back." David assured her, and smiled warmly at her.

"And I will get both my daughters back." Regina said, tears brimming in her eyes.

Henry sneaked back up the stairs, and went to sleep on Regina's bed; so as to not make it seem like he woke up, and smiled as he finally fell asleep for real.

Regina and David spent the rest of dinner, talking and laughing, and planning how to try to send a message, as well as run the town, now that magic is back. About an hour later, dinner was over and the dishes were in the dishwater. Regina turned it on, as David dried his hands on the towel.

"I need to move Henry to his bed." David said through his yawn,as they both walked up the stairs.

"Yeah." Regina said, slightly disappointed, which must have shown, "Unless you want him to sleep in your arms tonight." David added.

"If you don't mind, yes." Regina said, with a grateful smile.

"Of course not, good night Regina. See you in the morning." He told her, as he headed into the guest room, which he now occupied.

"Good night David." She said, and continued to her room. She saw Henry lying there, peacefully asleep, and couldn't help but stand there and watch him.

After changing into her silk pajamas, she climbed under the sheets next to him. He fussed a bit, and lazily opened his eyes and looked up at her.

She smiled warmly at him, "It's alright sweetheart, go back to sleep." She said as she moved his body properly under the sheets.

"Am I sleeping in your room?" he sleepily asked her.

"Yes, I didn't want to wake you by moving you, but if you want I can take you to your room." She offered, but her voice had hope that he will say no. And it seemed like her prayers were answered as Henry shook his head, snuggled up to her and immediately fell back asleep. She slid down under the covers, and wrapped her arms around him, and was delighted when she felt his arm go around her waist. She kissed the top of his head, then rested her head on top of it, and immediately fell asleep. But for the first time in a very long time, she had a smile on her face, and she slept soundly without nightmares, of any sort.

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**Another long chapter for you enjoyment, and I will try to update again tomorrow, but I cant promise.**

**Carriemarie78….i hope you're happy xD…enjoy it.**

**Kcrane….ask and you shall receive xD….hope you like it.**

**Percybeth4ever….i'm guessing we both had the same names in mind xD**

**For all my reviewers, thank you so much for the feedback, and the support. Hope you all enjoy it.**


	11. Training and Reunions

**First of all, thanks to all my readers, reviewers and of course followers. Thank you for the support.**

**To Guest, I'm glad that you enjoyed it that much, and yes the updates are frequent XD as it seems my brain doesn't shut up about the chapter until I write and post it.**

**To Carriemarrie78, I am very happy that I was able to put a smile on your face, and thank you for the feedback.**

**To KCrane, all of those ideas are on my mind, but all in good time, I promise, and I hope this chapter answers some of your questions.**

**To jcat30, bear in mind that Charming's name isn't James, and that James was his brother, and we still don't know what his real name is yet, and Snow was still calling him David in the premiere, and calling him Charming seems a bit ridiculous, so we're sticking with David for now xD. As for Ruby, I like the name more than Red, and Gold is shorter than Rumplestilskin. But thank you for the feedback nonetheless, and I hope you enjoy it.**

**To all, here's the next chapter.**

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The next morning when David woke up, it took him a few seconds to realize where he was, as it was unfamiliar to him. After he finished his shower and got dressed, he went downstairs. As he was climbing down the stairs, he heard laughter coming from the kitchen, and walking in he saw Regina and Henry arm wrestling. Regina looked up as he walked in, allowing Henry the time to gain the upper hand and win, "YES" he victoriously yelled, as Regina mock pouted and glared at him, to which he smiled cheekily at her; that smile which she was never able to resist, and she found herself chuckling.

"Good Morning, guys." David said, as he bent down and kissed Henry on the head.

"Morning, Gramps" Henry chirpily said.

"Morning, David. Did you sleep well?" she asked, and he couldn't help but notice that she was a lot more relaxed than the woman he normally saw. And only now he realized why Snow was dead set against killing her; she had those memories of the kind and loving stepmother and she couldn't bear the thought of hurting her, same for Henry.

"Yes, I did. Very well actually. I was out as soon as my head touched the pillow, you?"

"Out like a light, and slept soundly." She answered, "Finding out that your dead daughter isn't really dead, loves you, and still has faith in you. Actually that all your children still have faith in you after everything you have done, does wonders for your mood." She said with a smile on her face.

David chuckled, "yes I suppose it does."

"What do you want for breakfast? Henry wants pancakes, and I'm having French Toast, so any special requests?" she asked, as she continued to move around the kitchen, getting the stuff she will need.

"French toast will be fine, thanks." He said, as he took a seat on the island next to Henry.

"Don't mention it." She said and she started making the pancakes for Henry.

"That thing you did with the mirror in the mausoleum, can you do it with any mirror, or does it have to be this one?" he asked her.

"No, it doesn't. Now that magic is back I can do it with any mirror. Why?"

"Well, we will need to check in on them from time to time, so I was going to tell you to bring the mirror here, if it is just this one, instead of going there every time. But I guess now, we can have a 24/7 live feed"

Regina chuckled, "Unfortunately, we cant have it all the time. I can do it as much as we want, but only for a few minutes at a time. I know stupid, but there is nothing I can do about it." She explained.

"Can we take a look after breakfast?" Henry asked, with an eager expression on his face.

"You read my mind." His mother answered him, with a huge smile, and a warm,loving look in her eyes.

"In that case, how about we help you to hurry things along?" David said, as he got off his stool and dramatically clapped his hands, and rubbed them.

"Sure" Henry said, jumping off his stool, and he immediately started giving David a tour of the kitchen, and Regina told them what they can do.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, "this must be Ruby." Henry said, as he ran to open the door. A few seconds later he walked back into the kitchen, with Ruby following close by.

"Morning, guys." Ruby greeted.

"Morning, Ruby" came from Regina and David.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Regina asked her.

"Um, nothing, thanks. I already ate."

"No way, you have to try mom's pancakes. She makes killer ones, no pun intended." Henry said, causing the three adults to burst out laughing at his last sentence.

"Oh Henry" Regina said, though her laughs, as she kissed his head.

30 minutes later, the table was set, with a big plate of pancakes, and another of French toast in the middle of the table, with Regina sitting at the head of the table, Henry on her right with David next to him, and Ruby on her left. Breakfast didn't take long, and it passed in stories and laughs; mainly Ruby telling them stories of Ariel, the funny ones to avoid causing Regina any pain. Although Regina had tears in her eyes, anyways. But they were happy ones.

After they finished and the plates were in the sink, Ruby turned to David, "Are you gonna check on the dwarfs before you head to the station?" she asked.

"Yes, but first I need to check on my wife and daughter." He told her.

"huh?" Ruby asked, and confusion was evident on her face.

"I can use the mirror to check on them, kind of like how I found out about her being alive. And no, I cant leave it on all day." She said, as she noticed Ruby's optimistic look.

"Oh, well, better than nothing." Ruby said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Exactly. So shall we?" Regina said, as she waved with her hand in the general direction of her hallway mirror.

The 4 occupants of the house moved to where the mirror was, and in less than a minute, the ripple showed and faded away to show a scene.

_Mulan was sitting on a rock, with a knife and tree branch in her hands, carving something from it. Hook sat next to her with his hands tied, and leaning on a wooden pole behind him. He was watching, as Aurora, Snow, and Emma were gathering wood for fire and such, as well as any spare food that may have survived Cora's attack, and Ariel was moving between tents and cottages, using her magic to fix them, so they can use them again._

"_Is it me, or is she making the insides of cottages more exposed to the outside?" Hook asked Mulan, as he pointed to where Ariel was moving back and forth._

"_She's making sure she can see inside of them, so when we sleep inside, Cora cant sneak up and surprise us." Mulan answered him, "If she catches you staring at her like this, you wont live long enough to worry about Cora." She added. Hook's head snapped in her direction, before he looked back at Ariel, "I'm sorry, I cant help it." He told her. And they both saw Snow, Emma and Aurora walk back to them, with food and water in their hands._

"_We found some food that survived the massacre, and Ariel said that food wont be a problem, since she can basically create it out of thin air. And since Cora already knows about her, there's no fear of using magic." Emma said, as she handed Mulan and Hook their food and water._

"_What are you doing?" Snow asked Mulan._

"_Making wooden swords." Mulan answered, as she took a sip of the water._

"_Why?" Aurora asked._

"_Because we need to teach you and Emma how to use swords properly." Ariel's voice came from behind them._

_They all turned around and saw her moving towards them._

Regina's tears were flowing at the sight of her daughter, and couldn't help but smile and she reach out to stroke the image of her daughter walking towards the little group.

Ruby was smiling at the sight of her friend; she had missed her, and she was glad to see that she hadn't changed.

Henry and David were glad to see Snow and Emma, alive and safe. Although none of the 4 people knew who Hook was, let alone why he couldn't keep his eyes off of Ariel; although Regina could feel her mother lion instincts start to bubble up.

"_You think Cora will challenge us to a sword fight?" Emma asked in a sarcastic tone._

"_No, but she is more than capable of raising an army of dead soldiers at her mercy and sending them after us, a distraction, so you need to learn, both of you". _

"_But why wooden swords?" Aurora asked._

"_Neither one of you handled a sword before in her life, and call me old fashioned but I would like to keep my body parts where they belong." Ariel answered._

"_I've used a sword before." Emma stated._

"_When?" Ariel asked._

"_When I killed the dragon, Gold gave me David's sword. And I don't think I was that bad."_

"_Well, using a sword to deflect fireballs is one thing, they can be seen a mile away, but hand to hand combat is different. So we're still using the wooden swords, until I see that if you used a real one, this wont end up a meat carnage."_

"_What dragon?" Aurora finally asked._

"_I don't know, she was a friend of Regina's. But Regina trapped her in Storybrooke in the form of a dragon." Emma explained._

"_You killed Maleficent." Aurora said, shocked._

"_Of course I did. Why didn't I think of that!" Emma said, with a dramatic tone._

_Ariel was giggling, and noticing the glare in her direction, "Sorry, but I'm thinking it is hard finding out about all that."_

"_Ya think?!" was Emma's answer, which only caused Ariel to laugh even harder._

"_They're not finished yet." Mulan informed Ariel._

"_It's alright, we've got nothing but time on our hands." Ariel said, before turning to Snow, "When was the last time you used a sword?" she asked._

"_28 years ago. So I think I may be a little rusty."_

"_Let's find out then." Ariel said, as she drew Mulan's sword from its satchel, as Snow drew hers._

_They walked a few feet from the group, as Emma and Aurora took seats on rocks to watch._

"This should be interesting." David's voice came, as he stared at the mirror, earning laughs from the rest of the group.

_Snow and Ariel started fencing, and it didn't take long before it seemed like they were both battling their sworn enemy. When suddenly Ariel had the sword's tip at Snow's neck._

"_You let your guard down." Ariel panted._

"_Yes, I know. Again." Snow said. And they started the match again, a few minutes later Ariel ended up on the wrong end of the sword, "Good" Ariel panted. Snow put her sword down, locked her arms through Ariel's and walked back to the group._

"_This is super weird. Finding out your mother is a fairytale character was weird, but finding out that she is not the demoiselle in distress they make her out to be, is even weirder." Emma said, causing Ariel's eyebrows to hit her hairline._

"_Demoiselle in distress?!" Ariel asked in shock._

"_Yea, she ran away from her jealous stepmother, stayed with the dwarfs, and then married prince charming. End of story."_

"_Jealous stepmother?!"Ariel's shock seemed to only deepen._

"_Yep, the writer said that your mother held a grudge against mine, because she was jealous of her beauty." Emma said, and at that Ariel burst out laughing._

"_Oh, it only gets worse. When we get back, remind me to get you the books to read them." Emma teased._

"_Oh, please tell me my mother is not responsible for distorting our lives like that? I mean jealous, seriously? She cursed the entire forest out of jealousy."_

"_Actually, only the book Henry has ends with the curse, the others end with Regina turning herself into an old hag, and falling off a cliff after poisoning Snow. And no she's not, the other world has them but with incredibly different details. I mean Daniel is not mentioned anywhere, not even in Henry's book" Emma clarified._

"_Well, I don't think he would be." Ariel said, her voice a bit chocked up from laughing._

The 3 adults and Henry were looking at the interaction, and none of them could suppress the happiness, that they were alright as well as bonding. But Regina couldn't help but notice Hook, and the way he was looking at her daughter.

"_They're ready." Mulan declared, as she produced two wooden swords, Ariel took them from her and tossed Emma one, "Come on, let's see how well you fair in this, __**Sheriff**" Ariel said, winking at the end._

"_No, I…."Emma started saying, then took one look at Ariel's face, and her shoulders slouched in defeat, "Oh you're Regina's daughter alright." She said, and when she noticed the questioning look Ariel gave her she added, "she uses the same glare when she wants something done." _

"_Oh, well, you know what they say, like mother like daughter. Shall we?" Ariel said, grinning. And Emma knew she was in for a hell of a training session._

_As they walked a little further from the group, a giant water ball appeared, and was heading straight for Ariel._

"_ARIEL WATCH OUT" Aurora and Snow yelled at the same time. Ariel looked up, but didn't have time to react, before the ball hit her and left her soaked._

_Mulan was on alert in a second, and Emma was looking frantically around her, and Snow was at Ariel's side._

"_I thought you said you can sense Cora and her magic?" Snow said, as she worriedly inspected Ariel over._

"_That wasn't Cora. That's my father, he's ashore and he wants to talk" she explained, as she wiped her face, and got her hair out of her face, "come on, let's go" she said._

"_We can wait here." Emma told her._

"_Not a chance in hell. None of you will leave my sight, till we deal with Cora." She told them, and the small group moved to the shore._

_When they go there, two mer-people could be seen, a man and a woman; King Triton and Queen Athena, as they guessed._

"_Oh thank God, Ariel" Athena exclaimed as soon as she saw her daughter, and engulfed her in a tight hug._

Regina couldn't help the stab of pain and jealousy she felt, she knew Athena was her mother and all, but still, she got to hold her daughter while she cant. Regina put her arms around Henry, as some sort of reassurance. David knew what was going though her mind, so he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, to which she replied with a grateful smile.

"_Mom, I cant breathe, you're suffocating me." Ariel said, as she hugged her mother back._

"_You're a mermaid sweetie, you can survive for a while without breathing." Athena said, without even loosening her hold on Ariel._

_Athena was gorgeous as well, but it was easy to know that Ariel wasn't hers. Athena had light brown hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Triton's hair was slightly darker, but his eyes were blue and had fair skin as well._

_Ariel looked at her father, "Daddy, a little help here." Ariel begged him._

"_Athena, darling, you're suffocating the poor girl" Triton said, as he chuckled, and had to pull on Athena's arms a few times before she finally let go._

"_What was that about? I just saw you this morning." She told her parents, as her father hugged her too._

"_We saw what happened." Athena informed her._

"_Oh. Well, I'm fine mom. She didn't hurt me, she never could" Ariel assured her mom._

"_Yes, but she recognized you, and she will keep trying." Athena said, and her voice was laced with fear and worry._

"_Yes, true. But so what? It wont be the first time, she tried throughout mom's pregnancy and failed, and tired again when I was born, and still failed. I think if I was capable of defending myself then, it wont be a problem now." She told her._

"_When your mother was pregnant, you used her magic as well. And besides, you said it yourself, baby you left some magic inside of Regina to help her stand up to Cora, and…" Athena's frantic rant was cut off my Ariel's hand on her cheeks._

"_And even after I left a little something for mom to defend herself with, she still couldn't kill me when I was born. You know I have enough magic to go around, and still be more powerful than her. I know it's scary and you're worried but you have nothing to fear."_

"_You left some of your magic for Regina?" Emma asked._

"_Yea, she had her own magic, but I knew it wont be enough against Cora, so I left a little behind just in case." Ariel told her._

_Snow smiled at how protective Ariel was, even as a baby, she was perceptive and smart._

"_How did you guys know what happened?"Snow asked._

"_We use water as a looking glass, and I was able to watch what happened, after it was over" Triton calmly explained._

"_Well, I'm fine, she didn't even move one hair out of it's place. So can you please go back to Atlantis? I don't like the fact that you're out here, it's too exposed and Cora could hurt you." Ariel said._

"_We have magic too, darling." Triton told her._

"_I know, but it wont hold up against Cora, please." She pleaded with them._

_They both sighed, and nodded._

"_Take care, darling. And I hope this isn't goodbye." Athena said, as she hugged, well suffocated Ariel again._

"_It wont be goodbye, mom. I'll still come back, I promise." Ariel said as she let go of her mother._

"_No matter where you are, you will always be my little girl" Triton told her, as he rocked her gently in his arms._

"_I know, daddy" Ariel told him. She stepped back and watched as they disappeared from view, into the water._

_Ariel turned around and looked at the group and said, "I think I have an idea on how to get you guys back home."_

**I know….evil….but have no worries, the next chapter will be in either tonight or tomorrow, I have a brain that doesn't let me sleep or function until the chapter is written in words. Hope you all enjoy it and please R&R.**


	12. Strong Minded-Cold Hearted-Heart Broken

Regina's blood went cold when she heard what her daughter said, and her smile was immediately replaced with a frown and a terrified expression. "What does she mean 'send _you _back'?" she asked, already dreading the answer. Before anyone managed to think of an answer, Snow mirrored her question.

"_What do you mean by '__**you**__'?You're coming with us, aren't you?" Snow asked her, confusion written all over her face._

_Ariel was silent for a few seconds, not knowing how to phrase her answer, to elicit the least amount of shock as well as objections._

Those few seconds of silence, seemed like they were years to Regina. She was watching her daughter's face intently, and was trying to deny what she saw in her eyes, but then Aurora confirmed her fears.

"_No, she won't" Aurora said, "You have the same look on your face Philip had before he went to meet the wraith" she added, when she saw Ariel's questioning gaze._

"_She's wrong, isn't she? You are not seriously considering sending us through the portal and staying behind." Snow asked in disbelief, and when Ariel was silent and looked like a dear caught in headlights, she screamed, "NO"._

"_Snow…."Ariel started to speak, only to be interrupted by Snow yelling "NO" again._

Regina was shaking her head hard, as she kept saying "No", a bit hysterically. David was now standing slightly behind her, out of fear that she might lose balance at any minute, Henry clung to her hands around his shoulders, to try and comfort her; and Ruby had a hand on her shoulder, as she quietly said, "Regina, calm down. I don't think Snow will let it happen, no matter how convincing Ariel may be."

"_If you think that I will walk through that portal and leave you behind you are mistaken." Snow yelled._

"_Snow, calm down, please. You'll attract the ogres. Just listen to me, it wont be for long; just long enough for me to figure out a way to open the portal without Cora noticing, or at least guaranteeing that she wont jump after me." Ariel tried to calmly explain to a frantic Snow, who seemed to not calm down; on the contrary, she seemed even more furious._

"_And what the hell am I supposed to tell your mother?" Snow yelled, even louder than last time._

_Aurora, Mulan, Emma and Hook watched the exchange, completely speechless._

"_Don't tell her anything. Tell her that you got the compass, and that you used the wardrobe. That you found a mermaid who was able to make it work again, and since the 5 of you were the only survivors on land, you all came to escape Cora's wrath". She told Snow, who kept shaking her head, even when Ariel's tone had become a pleading one._

"_NO, she will put the pieces together, and she might cast the curse all over again because I left you behind, and I wont blame her."_

"_No she wont. She doesn't even know that her daughter is alive, and she knows that there is a mermaid powerful enough to recharge the wardrobe's magic. She went to Rumpelstiltskin before to cut a deal about me, but he was upset about Belle, so he didn't cut any deals. So she knows that I exist, just not that I'm her daughter. She thinks her daughter died, she wont know."_

"_So what? I'm supposed to walk around knowing the truth, but let her believe that you're dead?"  
"Yes, just for a little while. Look, there is no reason why you all cant pass through the portal, I will have to stay for last anyways to make sure that Cora doesn't attack at the last minute, instead of going after you, I will close it. You guys will be safe, and I wont have to worry about protecting you all the time, until I figure out a way to come without Cora following."_

"_NO. If by some miracle she finds out about you, what am I supposed to tell her? That we left you behind, stranded alone with Cora? I wont blame her if she ripped me limb by limb then." Snow's temper was beyond flaring by then, and soon they felt the ground shake beneath their feet, and heard the sounds of ogres._

"_Ogres are closing in, they must have heard the argument. Ariel what you're saying is ridiculous. We wont leave you behind, especially if Cora knows who you are now. We will stick together, till we solve this." Emma said quickly._

_Ogres roared again, and they felt them getting closer._

"_Come on, we'll finish this at the camp site." Ariel said, as she tried to move, only to be stopped by Snow, "No, I'm not going anywhere, until you forget about this. We wont go without you, I wont leave you stranded behind with Cora."_

"_I'll go to Atlantis, she wont be able to follow. I will only come ashore when I figure out a way out of here." Ariel tried to assure her, to get them going before ogres rip them apart._

"_NO. If you open this portal, we are all going in. NO ONE is being left behind. And I wont move till you promise me."Snow fiercely glared at Ariel._

"_Ariel, you may be Regina's daughter, but so am I. She raised me; so I wont budge and I wont reconsider." And as Ariel stared at her, she knew that arguing is pointless; and that no matter what she says, Snow wont cave. And if they don't move soon, they wont have to worry about Cora and who will go through the portal and who won't, since ogres will be having them for dinner._

"_Fine, I promise. We'll all go through the portal, no one is getting left behind. Now can we please move?" Ariel urgently nudged Snow in the direction of their escape._

"_That's all I wanted to hear." Snow said as she took Ariel's hand and the small group ran to their haven._

Regina, who has been holding her breath the entire time, let out a relieved gasp, as tears were running down her cheeks.

_As the small group ran, Hook tripped and fell, since his tied hands affected his balance. Ariel was the one running close to him, so she returned to get him._

"_Ariel get out of here, I will only slow you down." He told her as she helped him stand._

"_No, no body gets left behind. Now come one." Ariel said, as she tried to help him run. She looked up ahead at the sound of her name being screamed, "ARIEL WATCH OUT" she heard Mulan scream, and saw Emma hold Snow back. She turned around to look and saw 2 ogres inches away from her and Hook._

Regina's heart wasn't beating anymore, as she stared in horror at the scene playing out in front of her, as she stood in a completely different realm, utterly useless and helpless to her daughter.

_Ariel could feel her blood run cold in her veins, since she knew that no magic is enough to stop them. "Hook, get out of here." Ariel nudged him, but he didn't move. Snow looked at Mulan, and they both had a silent conversation. Mulan suddenly jumped Emma, causing her to lose her grip on her mother, who sprinted in Ariel's direction._

"_MOOOOOOOOOOM" Emma found herself screaming. Snow froze at the what her daughter had called her, and that was enough for not only the ogres to notice them, but also for Ariel to throw her hands out and create a firewall between Snow and herself, as well as the ogres._

_Snow grabbed an arrow nonetheless, and tried to aim at the ogres. Before she could fire, she saw one of the ogres reach down about to smash Ariel and Hook with his fist, when a small sphere appeared around Ariel, and shocked the giant._

_Ariel seemed more shocked by what happened, than the rest of them. The ogre's retreat put him within Snow's range so she fired, and then she whistled to get the attention of the other before she fired again, and watched as both ogres fell on the ground dead._

"_Ariel." She yelled, and when the fire died down, she sprinted towards the duo, and could feel the others run behind her._

_Ariel helped Hook stand up, and when the other closed in, they noted the look of pure shock and confusion on her face, as well as Hook's._

"_How the hell did you do that? No magic had been strong enough to stop them before." Hook told her. _

"_Her magic apparently is." Aurora answered._

"_No, I…..I didn't do it. I don't have the power to create shields. I control the elements, this was wasn't me." Ariel answered, though she still seemed distraught._

"_Then who did?" Mulan asked, and Snow noticed how Ariel's hand flew to the locket around her neck. Snow looked at Ariel, and their eyes met, and Snow narrowed her eyes at her, before whispering, "No"_

"_What? If no magic is strong enough to stop them, then what is?" Emma asked._

"_A mother's love." Ariel answered, tears brimming in her eyes._

"_Athena did this?" Hook asked._

"_No, Regina." Snow said. And all eyes were on her, gaping wide from the shock._

"_Regina?" Emma wondered, "How? She's in Storybrooke."_

"_When the ogre roared, the locket snapped open, but instead of the usual song, the bubble came out." Ariel said, as she kept playing with the locket around her neck._

"_You're Regina's daughter?" Hook asked._

_Ariel chuckled, "Yea, I am."_

"_Did she make that locket for you?" Emma asked._

"_No, but the song is the one she used to sing to me while she was still pregnant. I have no idea how it worked, but I'm not complaining." _

"_You still wanna wait here and not go?" Snow teased._

"_That's not why I wanted to stay behind, I know she loved me, and I love her, and I wanna see her more than anything, but I don't want Cora to get to her. I would rather stay here for all eternity." She explained._

"_It wont take that long, we'll figure it out. 5 heads are better than one." Snow gently told her._

"_Ok, lesson learned, I wont make you angry again, and I wont suggest that I stay behind, can we please go back to what Emma called you?" Ariel said, as she looked at Emma, who glared at her._

"_I meant it, and I'm sorry I didn't say it before. I was just scared."Emma started blabbering, and only shut up when Snow engulfed her in a hug, they both held on for a while, then let go._

"_Let's go back to camp, Emma and I still have a training session." Ariel said, smirking at Emma._

"_Haven't we had enough action already?" Emma whined._

"_Nop." Ariel said, as she shook her head, although she was smiling._

"_You're enjoying this aren't you?"_

"_Yeah, very much so, thank you." Ariel said, and they all laughed._

"_Alright, let's go." Snow said and turned around, in the direction of the camp._

"_You guys go ahead, we'll follow in a minute, just don't leave my sight" Ariel said, as she grabbed Hook to stop him from going with them._

Regina was crying hard, and gasping for air. She was hugging Henry tightly, while Ruby and David rubbed circles on her back and comforted her, "Breathe, slowly." David instructed, "She's alright, she made it. Your love saved her." He added soothingly.

"_Why the hell didn't you go when I told you so?" Ariel asked through gritted teeth._

"_Why the hell did you turn around in the first place?" Hook retaliated, "you nearly got yourself killed. Thank God for Regina's love, otherwise we both would have been dinner."_

"_I gave you my word once before, that as long as I'm alive, no harm will befall you. And unlike you, I keep my promises." She hissed._

"_And I told you once before, that I don't let the woman I love fight for her life."_

Regina's head snapped up, as the others gasped.

"_Don't" Ariel hissed through gritted teeth, although her eyes had tears in them, "You lost the right to say that, and the right to look at me like that, when you allowed your sailors to tie me to a bed and rape me."_

Regina's eyes widened in horror, David felt sick all of a sudden, and Ruby was staring at the mirror in disbelief.

"_I didn't. I would never allow something like that to happen to a woman, let alone you. How could you think that?" he accused her._

"_How could I not? When I heard the sailor say it with my own ears." Ariel retaliated, although she kept her voice down, so as to not attract ogres, or alert the others, but her tears were falling freely now._

"_I know. And by the time the young lad, who cleaned the ship for me, came and got me, you had already used your powers to escape, and you wouldn't even let me explain later on." He said in a much gentler tone._

"_Explain what?" she demanded angrily, "How you betrayed me?"_

"_No, you know me better than that. I never gave that order. You came to Neverland many times after that incident, did you ever see them or even hear of them again?"_

_Ariel looked at him, and after a moment's thought, she whispered "No."_

"_That's because I killed them. When I returned and saw the effects of your magic on them, I killed them. You know I never harm a woman, let alone the woman I love. How could you have believed that I would?"_

"_You're a pirate. What was I supposed to think?"_

"_That I love you, that you were the only woman that I ever fell completely in love with." Hook told her, as she kept shaking her head._

David, Regina, Henry and Ruby were all staring at the mirror, wide eyed from the shock. None of them could believe their ears, but at the same time, none of them could deny the love they saw in Hook's eyes. Although Regina's mother lion instincts told her to snap his neck as soon as she sees him.

"_You only love Milah, so stop lying to me and to yourself."_

"_No, I don't. She fell in love with me, and I just played along, because she begged me to, so she would get rid of her husband."_

"_You made a deal with Cora, so you can go back and 'skin yourself a crocodile', so don't tell me you don't love her."_

"_I made that deal yes, and I want to go back. But not for Milah, for me. He took my hand that day, Ariel, and I want revenge."_

"_He's the Dark One, there is no revenge. And that feeling that you have, is the reason why we're in this mess the first place. Cora wanted power, so she took me away from mom, Rumpelstiltskin wanted power so he turned my mother into a monster, and kept me from her, and because of revenge my mother cast that damned curse. If you go there he will kill you, but you're still going to try to stand up against him. So forgive me if I don't believe you when you say that you love me and not Milah." Ariel said, choking on her tears, and then turned around to walk away._

_Hook grabbed her hand, swirled her around, and before she could react, he was kissing her. Ariel was so shocked that she didn't resist._

David had to hold back Regina, who lunged herself forward towards her mirror, when Hook kissed Ariel, while Ruby covered Henry's eyes, who pushed her hands away.

_Hook pulled away, but still kept his face close to Ariel, "If you don't want to believe what I say, then believe that. Use the water and find out for yourself, if you want. And don't tell me it wont work, you know as well as I, that it is not about blood, it's about love. So use it and find out if I'm lying or not." Hook whispered, in a loving and desperate voice, as tears ran down his cheeks as well, and he was looking her straight in the eyes. _

_Ariel's features softened a bit, "I fell for your words before, Killian. This time I need actions." She said as she rested her forehead on his._

"_We need to go back, before they get worried." She said, as she stood up straight._

_Hook looked at her, "Ariel, I love you." She turned around, "Then prove it." She said. "I will" he vowed to her._

_They both walked back to the camp, and was met with Snow._

"_You guys alright?" she asked, concerned all over her face, as she looked at the two of them, and the looks they had on their faces._

"_Yeah, we're fine. Come on, I need to start training Emma to use a sword, and Mulan will take Aurora. And since you know how to shoot an arrow so well, you can teach them that part." Ariel said, as she tried to shake it off and return to normal._

"_Ok, I respect that you don't want to talk about it now, but whenever you're ready, just know that I'm here." She told her._

_Ariel smiled at her, "Thanks, I know"_

The scene faded away and the mirror was back to normal.

The occupants of the house were still shocked, and had no idea what to say or do. Henry finally decided to break the silence, "I'm gonna be late for school."

That seemed to have the desired effect, as everyone snapped out of their trance.

"Right. Come on, I'll drop you off before I go to the mines, and Ruby and Regina will pick you up. Ruby, stay with Regina and…." He was interrupted by Ruby, "Don't let her out of my sight, and stay on guard. I know" she said. Henry turned to his mother and said, "I know that what we saw was a lot, especially the ogre incident and what happened to her in Neverland, but focus on the fact that she's alright now, and that it was your love that saved her. And I think after everything that happened today, it wont take long for them to come." He said, as he hugged her hard. Regina returned the hug, just as hard if not harder, and kissed the top of his head, "Thanks, sweetheart."

David and Henry walked out of the house, and Regina stood at the door and waved at her son. As soon as David's truck disappeared, Ruby exclaimed "I need a drink", Regina laughed and said, "me too." With that they both went into the house and closed the door, to drink and talk about what they saw.

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**Another long chapter, so that I am forgiven if I don't update tomorrow. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**To Guest…Thank you very much for the compliment, and yes I have a bit of a wild imagination, but my writing is still work in progress. I am glad that you like the story, and that you enjoy it. Hope you like this chapter, and looking forward to your feedback.**

**Barbara Montgomery…..glad you loved it and thanks for the compliment.**

**Diejj…..looks like Snow agrees with you xD…hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**To all my followers, hope you enjoy this chapter and looking forward to your reviews.**


	13. Humor, Happiness and Sorrow

**First off, I only realized now that I kept calling Ariel's land 'Atlantis' instead of 'Atlantica', and it was unintentional, so from now on I will call it 'Atlantica', so that no one gets confused, and sorry for the error.**

**Secondly, thank you for all the reviews and followings, I appreciate the support, and I'm glad you all like my story.**

**To Percybeth4ever, sorry to disappoint, but I don't see a kidnaping in this story, not how I planned it all, but I hope you will enjoy what is yet to come.**

**To CMiller13, there will definitely be ganging up when they are back in Storybrooke, but you will be surprised of who against who.**

**To Jason, thank you and I'm glad you like and enjoy it.**

**To Carriemarie78, my devoted fan, glad you like it, and like I said before, as soon as the chapter is complete in my mind I have to write it down, so I can move on to other things, so no worries, updates will be happening soon and close together.**

**To Kcrane, my other devoted fan, thank you and yes I know sad :( **** but you seemed one step ahead of me, so I figured I surprise you :D.**

**To .Blonde, thank you very much and I'm glad you enjoy it that much. xD.**

**To all my readers, here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy it.**

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Regina and Ruby sat on the couch opposite each other, each had a glass of Regina's famous apple cider.

"Regina, this is amazing." Ruby exclaimed, as she sipped on her glass.

"Thanks."

They both sipped on their drinks in silence for a few seconds before Regina broke it, "I can't believe she went through this, I don't know how Athena was able to just stand there with Hook in front of her, and not rip him to pieces." She said, tears and pain still evident in her voice.

"She doesn't know." Ruby said, and Regina's eyes widened, "What?"

"Ariel never told anyone, not even me. She was jumpy after she came back, but I thought it was just exhaustion, and she said she dreamt about you, which always made her a bit jumpy. But I don't think she ever told anyone about the rape. Athena didn't even look towards Hook, not even a look of hate or animosity. And I know her, if she knew, ripping him apart wouldn't have been enough."

"It won't be enough for me." Regina hissed, as she took another sip.

"He seemed sincere in his statements, both his love and not allowing it."

"He's still getting ripped apart, he won't lay a hand on my little girl again." Regina said, and Ruby finally realized what Regina meant and started laughing, "Roar" she said to Regina, "Exactly" was Regina's answer, as she smiled at Ruby.

"I'm guessing you will wrap her in cotton when she gets here."

"Oh you bet I will."

Ruby erupted in a fit of giggles, "This should be fun."

"Come on, we need to clear out the other spare room, once they get here, they'll need space to stay." Regina said, getting up from the couch, after finishing her cup.

"I'll take Mulan and Aurora off your hands, they won't be in any danger, so they can stay with me." Ruby said, getting up as well, and following Regina out of the room, "And Hook" she added with a wink after she saw the look Regina gave her.

"Thank you." Regina said gratefully, "That will save me the trouble of having to lock him in the basement myself." She added, causing Ruby to erupt in giggles.

The rest of the day was spent in clearing things out, and they had a bit of fun with cleaning as well, some things went into the basement and others to the trash.

When it was time to pick Henry up from school, they both left.

"Can't you use the mirror as a messaging service? Send a letter or something?"

"No, only as a looking glass. And I'm afraid I can't control the water."

"Well, watching over them is better than nothing at all."

"Yeah, but standing there helpless as you watch two ogres close in on your daughter wasn't easy. Especially when Snow decided to join her."

"I bet. But your love saved her, and she's fine. And don't worry, I'm sure Snow won't let ogres touch her, and she won't let Cora touch them."

"I know."

After a moment of silence, Regina finally asked the question she had been postponing, "How old was she?" she asked Ruby, and noticing the confused look Ruby gave her, she added, "The Neverland incident."

Ruby swallowed hard, and looked sympathetically at Regina, "17" and she saw how Regina's face paled immediately.

Regina could feel her heart stop, and she felt sick all of a sudden. She felt like someone had stabbed her with a million knives at the same time, '17', she kept thinking, 'she was a baby', and before she knew it, her tears were flowing down her cheeks.

Ruby put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, as Regina kept driving. "I know this is unbearable Regina, but she's strong, and she will be in your arms soon." She said soothingly.

Regina just nodded, as she tried to shake it off; they were closing in on Henry's school and she didn't want him to see her crying.

She pulled up to Henry's school parking, and saw him running out of school. She got out and he slammed into her. She hugged him back, "How was school?" she asked.

"The usual, how was your day?" Henry asked her, as he hugged Ruby.

"Nothing much, we cleaned the spare room to make sure that we have enough room for Emma and Snow"

"So what are we gonna do today?" he asked, as he got into the backseat of her car.

"I don't have anything in mind." Regina answered.

"How about shopping? Ariel is gonna need clothes when she gets here, she can't keep walking around in her dress" Ruby told them.

"Do you know her size?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, she's your size, so you can try the clothes on." Ruby told her.

"And maybe you can buy some new stuff, less mayory stuff." Henry added from his place between their seats.

"Alright then, we can grab some ice cream on our way back home too." Regina said, as she steered her car in the direction of the clothes store.

"Can we get the brownies stuff too? I miss them" Henry asked.

"Sure, we'll have them for desert today." She said.

"I'll call David and let him know." Ruby said as she dug her phone out of her pocket.

The rest of the day was spent clothes shopping. Ruby would pick stuff out, force Regina to go into the fitting room and try them on, while she and Henry criticized. And they were mean critics. They would make Regina twirl around 50 times before deciding; if it's an Ariel-outfit, a Regina-outfit, or not-a-chance-outfit.

They went back home around 7; they had picked up dinner from Granny's, since they were all beat and Regina had decided against cooking. She made the brownies for Henry, while he finished his homework, as they waited for David to come home so they can eat. He came home an hour later, Henry had finished his homework, so they all saw down to eat, Ruby included. Dinner was spent in talks and laughter, Henry and Ruby had decided that Regina's suffering as they clothes shopped would be the topic of entertainment. So they took turns telling tales, and finishing each other's sentences, while Regina mock glared at them at times, or playfully smacked them at others. David's stomach was starting to hurt him from all the laughing. When they were done, they helped Regina clear it up, before Ruby headed home, after saying her goodnights.

Henry then turned to his mother, "Can we check on them before bed?", and she realized that Henry basically took the words out of David's mouth. She wasn't sure she wanted Henry to watch it again, she wasn't sure what secrets her daughter might spill again. But she caved, because she knew he missed Emma and Snow, "Sure, let's go."

They all walked back to the mirror, and Regina waved her hand.

_Ariel sat on a rock, with her arm in Snow's hand, hissing every time Snow rubbed a cloth against it. Snow moved to put the cloth into a bowl, and a huge gash on Ariel's arm became visible. Fire was cracking behind them, lighting the scene._

David saw the worry in Regina's eyes, and the beginning of panic attack as well.

"_The most powerful witch of all times, and she cuts herself on a tree branch." Emma teased._

"_You're enjoying this aren't you?" Ariel asked in mock anger._

"_Very much so" Emma said, quoting Ariel's words, "Aint my fault that the universe decided that you need to take it easy on me." She said smirking._

"_It's not that deep, thankfully. But I will wrap it up in any case, and we need to go back fast, before it gets infected." Snow said, as she started to wrap the wound._

"_I wanna go back now, but we need to immobilize Cora somehow" Ariel said, as she moved her arm, to see how much it will hurt._

"_Yeah, I know." Snow sighed as she got up._

"_Thanks" _

"_D__on't mention it."_

Regina and David couldn't help but notice how beautiful Ariel was, hell she was gorgeous. She stood in the firelight, which reflected off her black hair. Her scarlet dress in the firelight also gave her a more mystical air; it was figure hugging and flowing down starting from her waist, with a slit down its right side, starting from her midthigh, and she was wearing black flats. And her eyes glowed in the light, and Regina couldn't help but notice the exhaustion in them.

"C_ome on Emma, don't think you got away with it." Ariel said, as she bent down to pick up the wooden swords._

"_What about your arm?" Emma asked._

"_It's my left one, and it doesn't hurt that much when I move it. So let's go" she told her, as she tossed her the other sword._

_Emma grumbled before getting up and standing in front of Ariel, and they started their match. Ariel was taking it easy on Emma, as she was still training. But it was hilarious to watch, the small group giggled from time to time; either at Emma's statements, Ariel's remarks, or the interaction between the two, and some of the falls Emma took were hilarious, that even Ariel would laugh._

Regina, David and Henry watched the scene, incredibly amused. Both parents had huge smiles on their faces, and soon enough they were cheering. Henry was neutral, he cheered the move that he liked, which let's face it, was mostly in Ariel's favor.

"_Mom, a little help here." Emma yelled in her mother's direction, who was holding her stomach from laughing._

"_Alright Ariel, let's do this for real." Snow said, as she got up and picked up the real swords, and gave Ariel one._

"_Thank you" Emma said, as she gave her mother a peck on the cheek, and ran to sit with the audience._

_Snow and Ariel started their match, and it didn't take long for it to heat up. Soon enough, the 4 audience members were cheering, since this place was hidden and safe from the ogres._

To anyone passing by the street in front of the mayor's house, it seemed like the occupants were watching the final match in the world cup, not a friendly sword fight. Cheers and encouragements were flying all over the place; David rooting for his wife, Regina for her daughter, and Henry was neutral once again.

"_How the hell does a mermaid know how to fight like this? Aren't they supposed to sing and dance all the time?" Emma asked from her place on the rock, earning a snort from Hook._

"_She knows how to sing and dance alright, but she is also one hell of a knight." He told her._

"_Lancelot taught her" Mulan remarked, "they were pretty close, she was like his little sister."_

"_He taught her well" Emma remarked, as the already heated match, was blazing in front of them._

_A victorious yell erupted from Ariel, when Snow found her sword out of her hand, and the tip of Ariel's sword at her neck. They were both panting, and had incredibly flushed cheeks._

Regina cheered, and clapped her hands, as David mock pouted.

"That's my girl" she exclaimed with pride.

"I need to train Snow more when she gets back." He said, pretending to be a sore loser.

"You need to train me first." Henry declared.

"Yes I do." He chuckled.

_Snow and Ariel walked back to the group, laughing and talking._

"_Alright, bedtime for all." Ariel declared, as she clapped her hand, and waved them to where the cottages and tents stood._

"_We need to schedule guarding shifts" Mulan said, "I'll take the first one." she added._

"_No, no need for shifts. I'll stay up. None of you have powers, and if Cora attacked, you'll be defenseless. You all sleep, and I'll stay up."_

"_You're gonna stay up all night?" Snow asked her, amazed._

"_What choice do I have? It's alright. I used to do it with Lancelot a lot, when he would get exhausted, I would stay up on guard, and he would sleep." Ariel explained, a longing smile playing on her lips._

"_Yes, for one night. How long are we gonna keep this up?" Aurora asked, "you can't stay up all the time."_

"_Let's take it one day at a time, maybe I'll figure something out overnight." Ariel told them, before she shooed them to the tents._

"_I will sleep out here." Hook told her, when she looked at him, with a questioning gaze as he wasn't moving._

_She was about to object, when he looked at her with a pleading expression and pleading eyes, "Please." _

"_Fine. But you are going to sleep, you won't keep me company." She told him._

"_As you wish." He told her._

"_I'll go get mattresses from one of the cottages for you both." Mulan told her._

"_T__hanks Mulan." To which Mulan nodded._

_As soon as the group was out of hearing range, Hook turned to Ariel._

"_Thank you for letting me stay." He said, she turned around about to shoot an angry remark at him, but when she saw the sincere look on his face, she bit it back, "Sure." She said before turning back._

_Hook kept looking longingly at her._

"_Why did you kill them?" She asked, without even turning around to face him._

"_They hurt you, and moreover they told you that I allowed it. They hurt the one person that mattered to me, and in a way that was heinous. How did you expect me to react? When I arrived after the boy got me and saw the effects of your magic on them, I lost it. And in that moment, I understood how Rumpelstiltskin was able to rip Milah's heart out; she had hurt their son, she hurt the one person he cared about more than anything, so he ripped her heart out for it. If I could do it to them, I would have. But since I couldn't, I tied them up and threw them to the sharks, and didn't leave till the water turned red."_

_Ariel was fighting back tears, but before she could answer, they heard footsteps, and saw Mulan and Snow approaching with the mattresses._

_They laid them down on the ground._

"_Thanks." Ariel and Hook said simultaneously._

"_You sure you don't want some company? We can take shifts with you." Snow offered._

"_No, it's alright. It has been a long few days for you guys. You need to rest. I'll be fine."_

"_Ok, call if you need us." Snow said, as she leaned down and hugged Ariel. Ariel hugged her back._

_Snow then walked over to Hook and squatted down to his level, "If you hurt her in any way, you won't have to worry about Regina ripping you apart, because you will deal with an incredibly angry older sister, am I clear?" Snow said in a low threatening voice._

"_I won't hurt her, I can't" Hook told her, and she noted the sincerity in his voice, she nodded and stood up and walked back to the tent she shared with her daughter. Mulan had already gone into the tent she shared with Aurora._

_Hook kept staring at Ariel, from his place on the mattress, until exhaustion took its toll, and he fell asleep._

The mirror returned to normal. And David noted that Regina's anger was starting to bubble up again and take over.

"Bedtime for you Henry" he told his grandson.

"Yeah, Good night." He said, as he hugged David and Regina. Regina hugged him back, and all 3 walked upstairs.

Regina tucked him in, and Henry noticed the anger and pain in her eyes, and he knew it was over what happened to Ariel.

"You didn't know. It's not your fault what happened, you didn't fail her." He told his mother, as she was straightening the covers around him, and she froze mid-move.

"I know, it's just not easy" she told him, as she fought to keep the tears at bay.

"I know" he said as he gave her a reassuring smile.

Regina smiled back, and leaned over kissing his forehead, "good night, sweetheart" she warmly said to him.

"Night, mom. I love you." Henry said, and that simple statement caused Regina's heart to stop, before she answered, "I love you too, very much." She said, though her voice was choking.

She walked to her room, thinking about the events of the day. She changed into her nightgown, and sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the red velvet blanket that belonged to her daughter. She caressed the logo in the corner, and smiled at the memory of how her love that she poured into the song inside the locket had saved her daughter earlier today. She then got her phone, and kept looking at the photo she took of her daughter as a baby. And that was the last thing she saw before all the emotions and events of the day finally took its toll on her and she fell asleep.

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**Let me know what you all think. Hope you all enjoy it, please R&R.**


	14. Almost At Last

**To Jason…yes it is a mix of feelings, heartwarming, sad and cheerful at the same time…and I'm glad you enjoy the moments between Henry and Regina. Thank you for the review, and hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**To Carriemarie78….yes you are :) **** and looks like your prayers were answered, the chapter came :D**

**To Gizela…don't worry I will explain it all…thank you for the review and support, hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**To Lady Ffion….Glad you're enjoying the story, hope you like the chapter. Thank you for the feedback and support.**

**To Guest….ask and you shall receive xD…hope you enjoy it.**

**To Percybeth4ever…thank you for the support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I like kidnapping plots too, but it doesn't fit in this story.**

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It had been 3 weeks since Regina found out about Ariel, and David and Henry's subsequent move with her. Things had been going great with her and Henry, as well as her and David. His hate and anger towards her for what she did to them had faded away, and was replaced with anger for the people responsible for the monster she became; Cora and Rumpelstiltskin Ruby had become like a part of the family; she had breakfast with them, as well as dinner. And either helped Regina around the house, or in teaching Henry how to ride his horse. They continued their routine of checking in on their loved ones every morning after breakfast, and before bed. It had become their daily entertainment, especially Snow teaching Emma archery; saying that Emma had bad aim was the understatement of a life time. She nearly killed Aurora once, if Ariel hadn't used her power to deflect the arrow's trajectory. Ariel found herself on the ground with Hook on top of her after he tackled her out of the way of an oncoming arrow. Of course Regina nearly blew up the mirror at that, but David was quick to grab her hands. But thankfully, her sword skills were improving; she even managed to knock the wooden sword out of Ariel's hand once. Cora attacked a few times, but luckily for Regina's sanity they didn't witness it; they either saw the aftermath of it or heard them talking about it. They also saw Ariel and Snow going head to head about Ariel's lack of sleep and rest, and Regina couldn't help but agree with Snow,;Ariel looked worn out. But as Ariel said, none of them can stand up to Cora; which only made her wish her baby girl would be in her arms sooner rather than later, so she can make sure she rests properly, not to mention be out of Cora's reach.

David had told the town's people about Ariel and Cora and the underlying circumstances about a week ago; including Regina's intention to redeem herself, and that she had already started . They surprisingly understood, and decided that if she keeps her word, they will help her achieve it. Needless to say Gold became in hot waters, but seeing as he could turn them all to toads, they stayed out of his hair. David had kept the part about Jefferson and Whale's involvement out of the story. For Jefferson's daughter's sake, and Whale told him that he didn't know it would be this bad, and being stuck here was Regina's revenge. So since they still needed him to be the doctor, he kept his name out of the story as well, and people assumed that Regina didn't bring the bad doctor along. The dwarfs started working twice as hard to try to get Snow, Emma, Ariel and their companions back safely, before Cora drains Ariel. David still kept Ruby around Regina to make sure that no one who wants to be in Rumple's good graces would harm her, especially those who had been in the angry mob led by Whale who attacked her when the curse first broke.

David was still the Sheriff and Regina returned to her duties as Mayor; per the people's request, and David's plea that he could use a hand. Ruby would keep her company and help when she could; and August, who had finally returned about 2 weeks prior, was in charge of picking up Henry from school, going with him to the stables to help him take care of his steed, before dropping him off at Regina's office, and then he goes over to take over the night shift at the station; since David had appointed him Deputy, against his will.

It was a Friday night, and cheers, laughter, as well as pouting could be heard inside the Mayor's household. Ruby had asked Regina if she can ask Belle to come over, and Regina welcomed it. Belle did go, despite Rumple's objections. Regina apologized to her, but Belle understood once they told her about Daniel. August was over as well for dinner when he made the mistake of challenging Ruby and the rest of the women to a round of Scrabble, resulting in a Scrabble tournament, with Ruby, Regina and Belle on one side; and August, David and Henry on the other.

Henry was shaking his head in mock heart break, as David and August argued over whose fault it was that they lost, for the 4th round; the girls were laughing and teasing them; all while they sipped on Regina's famous apple cider. Regina was doing the final math of the 4 rounds, when the doorbell rang. They all looked confused, and kept looking at each other.

"Expecting someone?" David asked, as he looked at the occupants of the room, and they all shook their heads.

"I'll get it."August said, getting up, being the closest to the door.

Regina went back to calculating just how bad the guys were screwed; when her head snapped up in the direction of the door, along with everybody else's heads when they heard commotion, and August yelling, "DAVID".

They all bolted from the living room, where they were playing, and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight.

There standing, in front of the door, was Snow, Emma, Aurora, Mulan and Hook. Regina's face brightened at the sight of them, but it soon paled when she saw August turn around, with an unconscious and pale Ariel in his arms. All the newcomers from the Enchanted Forrest were soaking wet. Ruby rushed over to August, who was lowering Ariel onto the wooden floor; and Regina stumbled over to where they were standing, only to be stopped in her tracks by Belle.

She watched in horror as August checked for pulse, before he tilted her daughter's head back and started breathing into her mouth, and pushing onto her chest.

"What the hell happened?" She heard Ruby asking.

"We opened the portal and jumped through, so she was already half drained. The portal dumped us into the ocean, and I think she used up her energy, trying to make sure we don't suffocate as we swim to the surface since we were in too deep, that she's the one who eventually lost conscious." Hook explained, in a frantic voice.

"Were you guys still in the water when she lost conscious?" David asked.

"Yeah." Chorused all the newcomers.

Hearing that, August stopped his CPR attempts, and started pushing on her stomach. Ruby was on her knees next to her friend begging her to wake up. She kept glancing at a frantic, horrified looking Regina, as Belle kept rubbing circles on her back. Snow and Emma were holding Henry between them, as he looked at the scene in front of them. David didn't even want to think about what he will tell Regina if she died, he had already called Whale and told him to get a fully equipped ambulance and get his behind over there, "yesterday" as he put it.

They were all snapped out of the trances by the sound of coughing; they all looked at Ariel, and saw her jerking up and down, as she couched up water from her mouth. August turned her on her side, and held her there so she can spit the water out.

"Easy; take slow, deep breaths." He told her, as she turned onto her back once more.

"It's alright sweetie" Ruby gently told her, as she got her wet hair out of her face.

"Red" came Ariel's weak voice, though her eyes were still closed.

Ruby smiled down at her friend, as her eyes fluttered open, "Hey Flounder." Ruby said, earning a small chuckle from her friend.

August helped her into a sitting position on the floor, "Are you sure you can sit?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's…."she was interrupted by a coughing fit, and before she managed to finish her sentence, Regina's voice came from behind August, "Ariel" her voice still choked up from the tears.

Ariel's head snapped in her direction, and for the first time since they arrived, Emma and Snow noticed Regina standing there, and the look on her face. Before Ariel could think of anything to say, Regina was on her knees next to her fallen daughter, and Ariel found herself trapped securely in her mother's arms. "Mom" she whispered, her voice was still a bit choked from the water, as well as the tears that were brimming in her eyes. Regina couldn't respond, so she just tightened her hold on her daughter, who was already clutching onto her mother's clothes; and Regina felt her daughter nuzzle her face in her neck. Snow and Emma looked at each other, confusion all over their faces; and it seems Henry noticed, as he told them, "She knows".

Regina was still holding on to her daughter, as they both cried hard. Ariel was sure that her mother's clothes were soaked by now, and Regina could feel the water soaking up her clothes, but neither of them cared. Regina couldn't believe what was happening, and a part of her was scared that this was just a dream. David had walked over to his family and engulfed them in a hug; and was delighted to feel Emma return it. After a few moments, both parents let go of their children. David helped August and Ruby off the floor, and moved to close the door. Regina still had her daughter's face in her hands, "God, I can't believe you're here." Regina said, through her tears. All Ariel could do was smile, as she kept her hands on her mother's. Belle had retrieved blankets, and walked around giving them to the soaking wet people. August helped Regina off the floor, as Ruby helped Ariel, before she threw her arms around her friend, "You scared us, Flounder" she mumbled.

"Sorry, Rave" Ariel gently answered her, as she hugged her back. Regina had a huge smile on her tear-stained face, which turned into a mother-lion expression when she noticed the way Hook was looking at her daughter.

The doorbell rang again, and this time it was Whale and the paramedics. Ariel's face contorted in anger as soon as she laid eyes on him, "you" she seethed. And he knew who she was immediately; after all the resemblance was uncanny, especially with both her and Regina in the same room.

Regina put her hand on her daughter's back, and gently said, "It's alright, sweetheart. I know what he did, but he's a doctor, so we called him when they came in carrying you."

"Well, I'm alive. So I think I'm a bit out of his league." She told her mother.

Regina chuckled, "I know, and thank God for that. But he was the town's doctor and I gave him the medical knowledge so he can treat the living. And you're gonna let him check you out, to make sure you're alright." Ariel was about to object, when she saw the worry in her mother's eyes, and decided against it, "Alright." She said, as she smiled at her mother.

The entire group moved to the dining room, where Ariel sat on a chair, with her mother standing behind her, as Whale examined her over.

After 20 minutes, he declared that she was perfectly fine; and only needs a hot shower, lots of fluids, and a ton of rest. He packed up his things and as he was leaving, he turned around and looked at Ariel, before saying, "I didn't know what Rumpelstiltskin had in mind, he told me that pretending to fail was in your mother's best interest. I had no idea he was planning to turn her like this." He told her sincerely. Ariel stared at him for a few moments, before her expression softened and she nodded, "thank you."

"It's the least I can do." He told her, and August walked him out.

"Not that I'm complaining, but how are you guys here? Last we saw, you were dead set against opening the portal with Cora looming around." David asked, directing the last sentence at Ariel.

"Saw?" Snow asked, and the others looked just as baffled as she was.

"Yeah, through your mother's mirror. It is an incredibly long story, one which we will tell you once you shower and change." He told them, and confusion clouded his face; when Emma suddenly looked like a dear caught in head light, while Snow was smiling and rubbing her daughter's arm, and Ariel was smirking at Emma.

"Well, you have your daughter's archery skills to thank for that." Ariel said, in a sarcastic tone, "We gave her a 45 foot tree as the target, and she missed it; except this time, Cora was materializing right in the arrow's trajectory, and it hit her. And no, she's not dead. Your daughter is not THAT good."

"Then how do you know it hit her?" her mother asked from her place, standing beside her daughter.

"She came out of the trees, with the arrow in her hand and blood on her dress, though she was trying to cover it up with her other hand, yelling and vowing to make us pay. When she was gone, I realized that this is our only chance; with her wounded, attacking us would be suicide, and she won't manage to follow us without me sensing it. So we ran to shore, opened the portal, and jumped in. And the rest you know." She explained.

"You mean how you nearly scared us half to death?" Snow sarcastically asked.

"Hey, you're the one who insisted I come." Ariel replied.

"And thank God she did." Regina said, as her hold on her daughter tightened, and she smiled gratefully at Snow. Ariel leaned in on her mother, and rested her head against her mother's side.

"Well, how about I take Mulan, Aurora and Hook back to Granny's so they can shower, change and rest. And we'll meet back here tomorrow." Ruby suggested.

"But we don't have any clothes here, and no place to stay." Mulan told her.

"You and Aurora can borrow clothes from any of us for the night, and we can buy you some tomorrow; and Hook can take some of David's or August's, whoever fits him better. As for a place to stay, you can stay at the inn." Ruby told them.

"I need to borrow some too." Ariel told her.

"No, Ruby and I shopped for you." Her mother told her.

"Oh, thanks." She said, smiling gratefully at her mother.

"I'll go get your things from the house as well as clothes for Hook, while you three shower." David told them.

With that, Ruby, Mulan, Aurora, Hook and David left together. While August offered to drive Belle, after she made sure that they don't need her to stay.

Henry told his mother that she can use his bathroom, while Snow used the one in the guest bedroom, and Regina took her daughter to the one in the master bedroom. David came back 20 minutes later with a bag full of clothes, only to find Snow still in the shower. He knocked on the door and told her that her clothes are here, and that they will be on the bed. He went to check on his daughter, and Henry told him she was still in the shower as well, so he left her clothes for her, and went to see how Ariel was doing.

He knocked, and waited till Regina gave him permission to come in. As he opened the door, he could hear the shower running in the bathroom, "she's still in there too?" he asked Regina, and they both chuckled.

"We'll meet you guys downstairs as soon as she's done." David nodded and left. He met Henry in the hallway, and they both went downstairs, both knowing that this is going to be a very long night.

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**Hope you all enjoy it, and there is a chance I won't be able to update tomorrow, so please don't hate me. Please R&R, thank you.**


	15. Taking Sides

**To rebakathy, yes yay Regina finally has her daughter with her, I couldn't torture them any longer. Glad you enjoyed it.**

**To Barbara Montgomery, we love you too xD thank you for the review and I'm glad you enjoyed it that much xD.**

**To carriemarie78, as it seems your prayers are always answered, since I woke up at 6 am to write the chapter so I can go back to sleep, hahahaha, glad you enjoyed it.**

**To Percybeth4ever, glad you think so, and official thanks xD, and this story is an exception and a record in posting, since I haven't even written a new chapter in my other one in 3 weeks. As for the bad aim, I couldn't resist, I had to add some humor, glad you liked it.**

**To Guest, yes they are finally back, and fear not, lots will happen there too.**

**To Gizela, yes I posted xD and Regina has her baby back.**

**To LilahMorgan, I like the characters the way they are, so I only change what annoys me in them, and thanks for the review and compliment.**

**To Aby, thanks for the review and glad you liked it.**

**To Lady Ffion, too good to be true how?**

**To all my readers and followers, thank you for the constant support. **

**Without further delay, here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

Regina made sure her daughter had everything she needed, as well as still alive in the shower; since she had been there for the past 30 minutes, before she went downstairs to see if Snow and Emma needed anything. As she passed by the guest bedroom, its door opened and Snow came out, nearly bumping into her.

"Regina, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there." Snow told her.

"It's alright sweetie, that door had always been a huge blind spot." Regina assured her.

Snow was taken back a bit, with Regina calling her 'sweetie', and the fact that she had just noticed that the normally formally-dressed mayor, was in jeans and a shirt.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wearing jeans before." Snow stated, trying to think of a way to approach the real subject on her mind.

Regina laughed, "I don't think I ever wore them. When we went shopping to buy Ariel a few things, Henry insisted that I buy 'less-mayory' stuff, as he called it."

Snow laughed, "I can only imagine what he did to you during that shopping trip."

"Oh, it wasn't just him, Ruby was with us, and these two are mean critics." Regina laughed, although she was fiddling with her hands.

"Snow, I need to talk to you, is that ok?" Regina asked.

"Sure, I need to talk to you too." Snow told her.

Before they managed to go back into the guest bedroom, David's voice came from the bottom of the stairs, "Regina, where are the leftovers from last night?" he asked,climbing up the stairs. He stopped and looked sheepishly at both women, "Uuuuh, am I interrupting something?" he asked.

"Um, no it's ok. I'll get you the leftovers, then we'll finish our conversation?" she directed her last question at Snow.

"Yeah, of course."

* * *

All three went downstairs, and into the kitchen, only to spot Emma basically inside the fridge. She pops out from behind the door, and looks like a thief caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "Where's Ariel?" she asked with anticipation.

"She's still in the shower." Regina answered her, giggling at the way Emma looked.

"Great, can you please get the leftovers? Cause I'm starving, and if she sees me eat, she might have me for dinner."

Snow erupted in a fit of laughter, "Oh Emma" Snow said,holding her stomach. Noticing the confused looks her husband, mother and grandson had on their faces, she added, "Ariel was the one who supplied us with food, she made it out of thin air. And Emma, well, she eats, A LOT"

"What? We just came in from the Enchanted Forrest; we jumped between worlds, had to swim from the bottom of the ocean, not to mention that I was training before we opened the portal. I have every right to be hungry." Emma was quick to defend herself, only for Snow to laugh harder.

"You do realize that all we did was jump through the portal?" she asked.

Emma shrugged her shoulders, "I'm still hungry" she declared, as she turned around about to ask Regina to hurry up, when the latter presented her with a freshly heated plate of lasagna.

"Bon appetite." She said, placing the plate in front of Emma, and handing her a fork.

Emma gave her a grateful smile, as she dug into the lasagna, moaning in pleasure seconds later, "Regina, this is magnificent. Didn't know you could cook so well."she mumbled with her mouth still filled with food.

Regina laughed, "Why thank you, Miss Swan. Now if you all excuse us, I need to talk to Snow for a minute." She said, as she and Snow left the kitchen, and went into the living room.

* * *

Regina closed the door behind them, before she turned around and looked at Snow, who had sat on the couch. They both seemed nervous.

"Snow, I owe you a huge apology, and I have no idea where to begin. God, I've done so many horrible things to you, that…."her rant was interrupted, as Snow got up from the couch she was on, and took Regina's hands in hers, "Regina, stop. David told me what you said to him. And you don't have to apologize to me, I understand." She said gently, as she guided her stepmother to the couch.

"That's sweet. But even if I don't have to, I want to; I NEED to." She said, a bit of pleading in her voice.

"Alright." Snow said.

Regina gathered her thoughts, "Like I said, I don't know where to begin. I am truly sorry for everything that I did, especially killing your father." Regina said, and Snow winced at the memory.

"He was always kind and gentle towards me, and a part of me did grow fond of him. But I guess I forgot about all that when I allowed my rage and despair over what happened to Daniel to take over; I should have never given in. I hated my mother for who she was and what she did, and then I turned into her, and caused as much pain as she has, if not more. And I know that an apology doesn't take it all away, and that some of the things I did, I can't take back, but I'm hoping that you will find it in you to forgive me for them. I would really like my daughter back." Regina said, with tears in her eyes, and Snow's tears were flowing.

"We both made mistakes Regina, I wasn't any better than you. I was mad at you for so long for what you have done, that I'm sure if I had powers I probably would have used them. Not to mention that I betrayed your trust when I told your mother about Daniel; I may have been young, but still, I had promised. And I already forgave you, the moment I saw what Cora did, I forgot everything you did because I realized that it was all her. She killed Daniel, and then lied to you about your baby. She knew that those two would make you desperate enough to use magic, and what Rumpelstiltskin did was just the last straw. He forced your hands; he knew that when Whale fails, you will bury your feelings for Daniel, your sorrow over him and your daughter deep inside of you, which will allow Cora's soul to take over; because the pain of losing a child is unbearable. I put Emma in a wardrobe, I knew she was alive, and that I will see her again one day, and I still felt like someone ripped my heart out, so I can't even begin to imagine how you must have felt."

"That doesn't excuse it, I could have fought it." Regina argued.

"No, you couldn't. You didn't even know it was there to fight. And besides, when I took the potion to forget about David, I did some horrible things myself. And when Red was first turning into a wolf, she killed many people. But you can't hold either of us accountable for those actions, because we were under a spell, we couldn't control our actions. We weren't us anymore. Same for you, Cora is twisted, and piece of her soul is more than enough to corrupt an angel, let alone someone whom she hurt as much as she had hurt you. Regina was the one to put me to sleep instead of kill me; who took David from King George before he killed him, to make sure than the spell can be broken at any time. She waited for 9 months until I had the baby, so that there would be a chance of breaking the curse one day. Yes, you did some bad things, but trust me, after what Ariel showed me, I can't blame you. They were trying to capture you before you acquire the curse, but I knew that you already had it. You wouldn't have threatened to use it unless you did, I didn't understand why you would wait all this time, but now I do. Regina I never hated you, I was just angry. I wanted my mother back." Snow told her, and with that Regina engulfed her in a hug, one which Snow returned, and held on tight.

"I love you Snow, always have. I just seemed to have forgotten." Regina said, as they finally let go, though she still had Snow's face in her hands, using her thumbs to wipe the falling tears.

"No you didn't, if you had, I would have been dead a long time ago. You just buried it with the love and pain over Daniel and Ariel." Snow told her, rubbing her arms.

"Thank you." Regina tearfully said.

"Don't mention it."

"And thank you for not coming here without Ariel."

"I may have been desperate to return to my husband, but I'm not crazy." Snow told her, causing them both to chuckle through their tears.

Regina put her arm around Snow, as they left the room, and Snow put hers around Regina's waist.

"Let's go make sure my daughter doesn't finish all the food in your fridge." Snow chuckled, "trust me, she is more than capable of it." She added as she noted the disbelieving look Regina gave her.

* * *

They both saw Ariel descending the stairs, in sweat pants and a t-shirt. She frowned when she saw them both with tears in their eyes.

"You both alright?" she asked them.

"Yeah, we're great." Snow said, as she leaned on Regina's shoulder, and Ariel's eyebrows hit her hairline.

"It's alright sweetheart, we just talked things through." Regina clarified.

"Oh, good." She said, as she walked with them, "where are we headed?" she asked.

Both Regina and Snow started laughing, and they couldn't answer her till they entered the kitchen, where she got her answer.

"Emma" she scolded. Emma froze- with the fork halfway to her mouth- and looked at Ariel, who had her arms crossed, and one eyebrow raised, in a disapproving manner.

"What? I'm hungry. And besides if you try this, you won't blame me."

"I swear, if your archery skills were anywhere near as good as your appetite, then…" she was interrupted by her mother's voice, "then you guys wouldn't be here."

Emma let out a gloating laugh, and smirked at Ariel. "Mom, whose side are you on?" Ariel asked her mom, in mock hurt.

"The one that got you here, so hers" Regina said handing Ariel a fork, and kissed her temple. Ariel leaned over opposite Emma and dug it into the lasagna.

"Oh God, mom this is amazing. Whatever it may be." She said as she chewed, and put another fork full of lasagna in her mouth.

"Told you so."

"Wait till you try her brownies, they're the best I've ever had." Henry told her.

"Her what?" Ariel asked, confused.

Emma laughed, "This should be fun, with you the one out of your element."

"You don't have to look so happy about this." Ariel mock glared at her.

Emma was about to retaliate, when a whistle suddenly filled the air, and they both looked at Snow. "Do I need to put you in separate corners?" she scolded.

"Nop." They both answered, "Good" she said, winking at Regina, who was giggling silently. David was leaning on the counter behind Emma, smiling at the scene in front of him, and Henry had a huge grin on his face.

20 minutes later, Ariel and Emma had successfully wiped the plate clean; the brownies were ready, so they all moved to the living room.

Ariel sat next to her mother, and snuggled up to her, and Regina had one arm wrapped around her. David sat between his wife and daughter, while Henry sat in Emma's lap. They all had their glasses of apple cider, and Ariel had already started munching on a brownie that Henry handed her.

"So, how do you guys know about me?" she asked.

* * *

**Next chapter won't be long, so don't yell at me over the cliffhanger. Please R&R.**


	16. Bitter Sweet

**To Diejj, somebody's getting greedy :D, and yes a short chapter IS a chapter. Is this soon enough? :D**

**To Jason, yes it is perfectly alright for a guy to cry xD, I am the writer and I had tears in my eyes during those scenes as well. And I would love for it to be on the show. I'm interested to know what theory it sparked. **

**To Carriemarie78, I think magician describes it well xD, so please stop praying…I need some sleep **** :D**

**To babygirlminds, thanks hun, glad you liked it and yea, it was heartwarming.**

**To Percybeth4ever, I just finished the episode just now, and yea August is toast :D…as for the question, is that for me or for August? xD.**

**To all my readers, followers and reviewers…thank you so much for the kind words and support. Hope you all enjoy the new chapter.**

**To Aby, all in good time my dear :D, fear not, all of this is yet to come.**

* * *

Regina tensed at her daughter's question, and her grip tightened around her subconsciously. Ariel looked at her mother, and seeing the pain in every detail of her face, she grabbed her hand and rubbed it comfortingly, "Mom?" she asked, worriedly.

"David?" Ariel heard Snow say; and looking over, she saw that David looked a bit distraught, and had a sympathetic look in his eyes, as he looked at her mother. Henry also seemed sad, and was playing with the hem of Emma's shirt.

Ariel moved out of her mother's embrace, and turned on the couch to face her. She started rubbing circles on her back, as she noticed that Regina was shaking.

"Regina?" David said questioningly, and it seemed she knew what he meant, as she only nodded in response.

"After you guys got sucked in after the Wraith, mom took me back to her house. She kind of went a little crazy with magic." Henry said, " Later that day, she suddenly decided that I will go home with grandpa. She said that she didn't want to force me to stay here, especially not with magic, and that she wants to redeem herself. So she promised me that she won't use magic anymore." He explained.

"It was harder than I thought, but worth it nonetheless. I have been using magic to get what I want for so long, that I guess I forgot how to survive without it. So I asked Archie for help." Regina continued, her voice was weak and filled with pain, though she smiled at her daughter when their eyes met. And the pain in them, shattered Ariel's heart.

"Archie?" asked Ariel.

"He's Gemini Cricket in our land, but he's the town's psychiatrist." Snow explained, and Ariel nodded.

"3 weeks ago, I got a call that Whale was attacked. His arm had been severed, and he was in the hospital. I went over there and found Regina." David said.

"And you automatically assumed she did it?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. But she said that she had gone to talk to him, and found him like this." He answered.

"Talk to him about what?" asked Ariel.

"Daniel." Regina answered her.

"Daniel?" Snow asked, shocked and confused.

"Whale had brought him back to life." David stated, and the room fell into stunned silence.

Regina's knuckles had turned white, from how hard she was squeezing Ariel's hand. Ariel's hand had gone numb from the lack of blood, but she didn't care. She didn't know what to think, or how to react. She was staring at David, as if he had grown another head; which let's face it, is as shocking as raising the dead. Emma kept opening her mouth and closing it, trying to think of something to say, and failing every time. Snow looked sympathetically at Regina,already guessing that the story did not end well. Henry got up from Emma's lap, walked over to Regina, and hugged her tight. She wrapped one arm around him, and allowed both of her children to comfort her.

"How?" Emma finally managed to find her voice.

David filled them in on what Regina had told him, and Emma was the one to realize who Whale was, "Frankenstein? Seriously?!" she incredulously asked, and all Regina could do was nod, head still buried in Henry's shoulder.

"But just like the book, it didn't go very well. Daniel wasn't who he was. He was confused and attacked Whale before he ran. Regina said that it would be like when I woke up from the coma, that he was following his last thoughts to where he last met her." David explained.

"The stables." Ariel stated faintly, her voice was still reeling from the shock.

"Yeah. Only problem was, I was there." Henry said, as he let go of his mother, but still sat in her lap.

"What?" Emma's horrified voice came, as her eyes widened in horror.

"He scared the horses, and I saw that he was confused and had blood on his hands. But when I reached out to help him, he thought I was attacking him, and he grabbed me by the neck." Henry calmly explained.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart." Regina told him in a broken voice.

"Stop apologizing. You didn't know, and I know that you wouldn't have let him if you did, you even stopped him." Henry assured her, and she smiled faintly at him.

Ariel smiled gratefully at Henry, as she kept holding tightly onto her mother's hand, and rubbing circles on her back.

"Regina and I got there in time, and she stopped him." David said, to assure his frantic looking daughter.

"I managed to convince David to let me speak to him, but only after he takes Henry and leaves the stables. I didn't want to take any chances." Regina picked up the story from where David stopped; though her voice held so much pain in it, that Snow and Ariel could feel their hearts shattering inside their chests. Even Emma felt her heart constrict at the amount of pain Regina was in, nobody deserves to be in this amount of pain, especially for such a long time.

"He didn't recognize me at first, and he nearly choked me." She continued, and Ariel stiffened at the last part, "I'm fine sweetie, it was only for a few seconds." She assured her daughter, "when I said 'I love you' he seemed to snap back." Regina said, smiling fondly at the memory.

"True love" Snow said fondly, and Regina let out a weak chuckle, "yeah" and Ariel saw the tears flowing from her mother's eyes.

"He was only back for a few moments though. He said that my pain over losing him, and holding on to him so hard was hurting him; it was causing him unbearable pain. He told me that I need to let him go, and to love again. Before he turned again, and moved to attack me." Regina recounted, shutting her eyes tight; trying not to break down again, especially in front of her daughter.

"And you had to let him go." Ariel stated, almost in a whisper. Her voice was a bit chocked from the tears. She knew what that meant; he was gone, and for good this time.

Regina just nodded; she couldn't find the strength to talk. She was amazed at how the pain still seemed fresh. She suddenly found herself trapped between Henry and Ariel's arms. She held on tight, and just lost herself in the arms of her children, and the comfort they brought.

Snow got up from her place, walked over to them, sat on the armrest of the couch, and rested her head on top of Regina's, "I'm so sorry." She whispered, wrapping her arms around her.

"It's not your fault Snow." Regina told her through her tears.

"Not this time." Snow said.

"Nor was it last time, it was just easier to blame you." Regina told her in a strong voice, which left no room for discussions.

Snow smiled and kissed the top of Regina's head.

Emma and David were in tears, both at the scene in front of them, as well as the story. Emma couldn't wrap her head around it; Regina was basically forced to vanquish her already dead fiancé to make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone else, especially her son. Which of course was after she had watched her mother rip his heart out the first time. She couldn't blame her for half the things she did; trying to keep Snow and David apart, trying to run Emma away from town, and last but not least her attempt to poison her with the apple.

"Turns out, what happened was a blessing in disguise." Regina said.

Ariel let go of her and looked at her incredulously, "How?" she asked.

"I found out about you." Regina answered her lovingly. Ariel's tears flew harder down her cheeks at her mother's remark, "What?" she tearfully asked, choking on the last two letters.

"As I told you, I had asked Archie for help with keeping my promise to Henry. So I went to him, to tell him that I used magic, that I broke the promise. I told him what happened, and we talked more about Daniel, and my relationship with him." Regina explained, "And then I told him that I was pregnant, had a daughter, who was born dead. And that my mother never even told me where she was buried, I never held her or even saw her." She continued, and Ariel leaned into her mother's side to assure her that she is there. Snow still had her arms on Regina's back, and Henry had an arm draped over her shoulder.

Regina held onto her daughter tight, as David continued, "Apparently Archie thought that it would be a good idea, if Regina told me and Henry about her daughter. So he called me and told me to come over, and Regina told us what happened."

"Yeah, but she thought Ariel was dead. So the entire story revolved around the daughter that she lost. How did you guys figure it out that Cora lied? And that Rumpelstiltskin was hiding her?" Emma asked.

"_We _didn't, Henry did." David clarified, "Excuse me?" Emma's eyes widened in shock, Ariel smiled gratefully at Henry, and patted him on the legs, "good job kiddo". Snow kissed the top of his head and Regina smiled at him, as she pulled him closer to her, "my genius", she said lovingly, before nodding to David to go on.

"Regina said that she knew that the baby was a girl, even before she was born. And that reminded me of you, Snow. You knew Emma was a girl, and had her name picked out. It didn't seem like Regina was ever able to properly acknowledge her daughter's short existence, let alone her death, so I asked her about what she had planned to name the baby. Figured it would help her, and maybe we can even hold some sort of memorial service for her."

"But if you had planned on naming me Ariel, how come you didn't realize who I was when you went to Rumpelstiltskin to make a deal about me?" Ariel asked her mother.

"I hadn't planned on naming you Ariel, I wanted to name you Aria." Regina told her.

"Then how did you put the pieces together?" Snow asked Henry.

"While mom was telling us about what happened, she said that the only thing she had of her daughter's was the red velvet blanket she was wrapped in when she was first born, and she showed it to us. It had a logo sown in black thread in one of the corners; a dolphin wrapped around itself like a seashell." Henry explained, "It looked familiar to me, but I couldn't remember where I saw it before. I was sure I had never seen the blanket before, it was just the logo that looked familiar. So when she said your name, it clicked." Henry added, "But before I said anything, I asked her if it was possible for Cora to cast a spell on you to make you look dead, when in reality you're not; and she said yes. So it all made sense; Cora cast the spell, and lied to mom. And since you lived in Atlantica, which is underwater, mom couldn't have sensed you, the barriers between worlds prevented that." Henry paused, to see the reactions of his audience, "add to that the illustrations in my book, and I was sure that you were hers." He finished in a bit of a dramatic air.

"What illustrations?" Ariel asked.

Henry got up from his mother's lap, got his book and opened it to the desired page. He put it on the coffee table in the middle, "I always thought the illustration of the Little Mermaid looked a lot like that of the Evil Queen, and therefore mom, add the locket that you're wearing , and it was a slam dunk." Ariel, Snow and Emma were huddled around the book looking at the drawing.

"I can't believe I never saw that." Snow said softly, as she smiled proudly at a grinning Henry; her proud smile and look was mirrored by the rest.

"It still didn't seem solid to me, and I didn't want Regina to get her hopes up and then have them crushed. Losing your daughter, _again_, on the exact same day you lost your fiancé for the second time around, is too much for anybody to handle. But then Archie interfered, and told us that it may not be as far-fetched as we believe. He said that Ariel, was powerful, notorious,…" his description of Ariel was interrupted by Emma, "Dad, we spent the last 3 weeks with her, we know what she's like. How did that prove anything?" David felt butterflies in his stomach, and was shocked into silence. Ariel, Snow, Regina, and Henry were smiling.

"Why is everybody looking at me like that?" Emma said, as she looked around.

"You called him Dad" Ariel explained to a confused-looking Emma.

Emma smiled at David, and he smiled back through his tears, before he went back to the task at hand, "It still didn't, not for sure, but it made it a higher possibility. Especially when it made sense of something."

"Of what?" Snow asked.

"When Regina told me that she was pregnant, I was expecting her to say that she aborted, curtsy of Cora of course, but she didn't. And it didn't make any sense. Cora is not the type of person, to wait around for the baby to be born, praying that she will be born dead. She killed Daniel, because he ruined her plans; imagine what his baby would do, it didn't make sense that she wouldn't try to abort Regina first. And when I asked Regina, she said there were a few falls, but nothing major. And it confirmed my suspicions."

"You lost me." Emma declared.

"Archie said that Ariel caused a storm when she was about 2 months old, and it was one of the worst ever. So it was obvious that she was born with magic; powerful magic. So I realized that Cora DID try to abort Regina; that those falls WERE major, but somehow their effects were lessened." David explained.

"You realized that I was protecting her from the womb." Ariel exclaimed.

"Exactly, Archie said you were notorious in protecting your loved ones, so it made sense that you wouldn't allow Cora to hurt Regina. You weren't going to let anyone hurt your mom, even then."

Regina held her daughter closer, and gave her a long kiss on the top of her head, "Thank you, baby."

"Anytime, mom." Ariel told her, as she leaned into her kiss, then rested her head on Regina's shoulder.

"I knew that we still needed more proof, but it was a start. Then Henry suggested that we use the mirror, it will show us what really happened. So we did; the closest mirror where we could do this in privacy, was Regina's family mausoleum, so we went there and used it."

"And it showed you what really happened." Ariel stated.

"Yeah, we saw your birth; you screaming in Cora's hands, how you tried to break the spell on your mother when you heard her cry over losing you, and when Rumpelstiltskin gave you to the mermaids." David elaborated, coyly skipping the part about Regina witnessing her mother trying to rip her baby's heart out, and Regina gave him a grateful nod.

"So you see if Whale hadn't brought your father back to life, I wouldn't have used magic, I wouldn't have gone to Archie and told him all of this, and I never would have learned the truth about you."

Ariel smiled at her mother, but she still felt awful. She didn't want her mother to have to find out about her like this, but she was glad that she did, nonetheless.

"After I finally managed to reintroduce Regina to the concept of breathing," David said, smiling at the chuckles he got from the group, and the glare from Regina "I asked her if you were here, and she said no; that she didn't bring you along, and that water would have protected you from the curse regardless."

"I asked her if she can look in on you in the present, and she said yes. We were gonna check on you, then Emma and grandma, but we found you guys together." Henry told her, and he went on to tell her what they saw, Cora, the ogres, and of course the training sessions. He also skipped past the rape part, as he knew that Ariel wouldn't want Emma and Snow to find out, let alone know that he, David and of course her mother knew.

"You guys saw the training sessions?" Emma asked, slightly embarrassed. And noticing the looks on her son's and father's faces, she became incredibly embarrassed, and sunk into the couch. Henry went over to his mother and hugged her.

"We used to check on you guys twice a day; after breakfast and before bed." Regina said, slightly changing the subject, to spare Emma any further embarrassments.

* * *

David went on to tell them the events of the past 3 weeks, and the actions that were taken.

Ariel had taken one of the couch cushions, put it on her mother's lap before resting her head on top of it. Regina wrapped her arm around her and started to comb through her hair with her fingers.

Emma suddenly noticed that Ariel had fallen asleep, with her head in Regina's lap, "Regina, Ariel's asleep."

"I know" Regina told her.

Snow, who had been sitting on the couch's armrest the entire time, leaned forward to check on her, "She's not only asleep, she's wiped." She noted, as she looked at Ariel's face.

"Well, 3 weeks of being on alert for your evil grandmother would do that to you." Emma remarked.

"I don't think I've ever seen her sleep so peacefully, even when I managed to convince her to doze off for a few hours, she still slept on alert."

Regina was looking at her baby girl asleep in her arms, and finally felt at peace. Her baby was in her arms; far from her mother's reach. Henry didn't think she was the evil queen anymore, and she made things right with Snow. She knew she still had a long way back, but she's off to a good start.

"I guess, she finally feels safe enough to let her guard down." Emma remarked, as she noted the way Regina had one arm protectively wrapped around Ariel,and the way Ariel was snuggled up against Regina. Regina smiled at the remark. Yes, Emma was right, her baby is safe, and she wont let anyone harm her in any way.

David got up, and bent over Ariel, "I'll take her upstairs." He whispered to Regina's questioning glance.

"I think we all need to sleep, we can finish catching up tomorrow." Snow said, pulling Regina off the couch, as they all walked behind David, and up the stairs.

* * *

Regina pulled the covers back for David, so he can put Ariel down, covered her up, and then went outside to show Snow and Emma where to get extra covers, pillows and towels from.

She then took Henry aside, "Henry, I want you to know that Ariel's return won't change how I feel about you. You're still my son, just as much as she's my daughter, and I love you both more than anything in the world. So don't think that she's replacing you in anyway,alright?" she gently told him.

"I know, and I like having a big sister," he told her, "And mom, same goes for you and Emma. You're still my mom and I do love you, even though at times I acted like I didn't, but I do. And Emma won't replace you, I now have two mommies."

Regina smiled at her son and engulfed him in a tight hug, before she walked him back to his room and tucked him in.

* * *

After saying goodnight to the rest of them, Regina walked into her room, and couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter's curled, sleeping form. She changed her clothes before sliding under the covers next to her. She rested her head on her arm, as she gently stroked Ariel's cheek. Ariel's head moved closer to Regina, so she kissed the top of her head, then gently rested her mouth on top of it, taking in the smell of her; she wrapped her arm around her daughter, and ran her fingers in her long wavy hair. She had no idea how long she stayed like this before she finally drifted off into a deep, peaceful slumber.

* * *

**A long chapter for you all, especially you Diejj :D. hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think.**


	17. The Morning After

**To Lady Ffion, it is one of my favorites too.**

**To Diejj, I totally understand :D I remember a time when anything was a good excuse for a break from studying, my heart goes out to you man :D.**

**To Jason, glad to see I wasn't the only one filled with tears :D, and yeah I have that theory too, that Regina waited on purpose for Emma's birth to have a way out at any time. I wish they put them on the show, it would be great.**

**To carriemarie78, oh god, I hope you all are ok and that no one is hurt. I'm glad I was able to put a smile on your face after such a horrible day.**

**To Guest, patience my dear. All in good time :D *evil grin***

**To all my readers, reviewers and of course followers, thank you and hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**Also I noticed a few errors in the chapters, and they are unintentional, and I do correct them, but for some reason they don't show. So hope you all forgive me, but I can't correct them and post new chapters, it's either or, so if it bothers you that much, let me know, and I will stop posting new chapters and correct them.**

* * *

Regina Mills never had an easy life, sure she had the money, but that never bought her mother's affections. Regina never knew what it was like to have a loving mother; she only knew the overbearing, over-criticizing, and unaffectionate monster in the form of Cora. She didn't see her mother as determined and goal-oriented, she saw her as a machine who had a thirst for power that could never be quenched. She killed the man she loved in front of her eyes, just because he stood in the way of how she wanted to dictate her daughter's life. Parents are supposed to protect their children against pain and the horrific things in the world, not cause them. All of that is what made Regina swear that when one day she becomes a mother, she won't be like hers; she will be like her father. Loving, caring, understanding and reassuring; he and Daniel were the only thing that kept her going for so long. But when Whale failed to bring Daniel back- like she thought at the time- she figured that if she practiced dark magic like her mother, that may be she will finally get what she wants; the happiness she lost a long time ago, also at the hands of her mother. And without knowing, she slowly started turning into her. After she cast the curse and adopted Henry, she reminded herself every day, to not become her mother, and it seemed that when it really mattered, she failed. She made Henry feel unloved and unwanted, made him feel bad about himself. But at least now that she knows, she is trying to fix it; and she vowed again that she _will _be the affectionate mother to her children, all three of them.

So when she finally fell asleep, knowing that her daughter was asleep in her arms, it was no wonder she didn't move an inch all night. Even in her sleep, she was going to make sure her daughter is safe.

* * *

The next morning, she lazily opened her eyes and closed them again. Her eyes suddenly snapped open in horror, as her brain finally registered that what she was seeing, was not the scene she was supposed to see. Instead of her eyes landing on her daughter's sleeping form, they landed on the empty pillow. She bolted upright in bed, "Ariel?" she called, trying to keep the rising panic at bay. "No" she whispered, frantically getting out of bed. She ran to the bathroom, the very empty bathroom. Her mind was going wild with bad scenarios, the most popular was that last night was just a beautiful dream; that her daughter was still in the Enchanted Forrest fighting for her life against Cora.

She decided to check downstairs before she panics. She sprinted down the stairs, praying that she will hear laughter or noises coming from one of the rooms, but again nothing. She checked all the rooms, and found them empty. Her panic was starting to get the best of her.

"Snow" she whispered, if she and Emma are not sleeping upstairs then her worst fear had come to life; last night was just a beautiful dream, or maybe even the past three weeks. She ran back upstairs and stood in front of Emma's room for a few seconds to collect her nerves, so that she doesn't wake her up if she's actually sleeping inside. She didn't want to go to Snow's room, she remembered that she was a light sleeper; so she was the last resort. She reached out to open the door, when the sound of the front door opening, and the voices from downstairs stopped her. She could distinctly distinguish her son's voice, as well as David's, though she couldn't make out what they were saying. She ran back down the stairs.

* * *

"I told you, money is supposed to be spent on food and other necessities." She heard David say.

And then it came, the voice that at the moment was more beautiful than any music or song, "Yes, except with an appetite like your daughter's, you'll be out of it in no time." Ariel said.

Regina looked over to the door, and saw Henry standing there holding it open, as David and Ariel came in loaded with grocery bags.

"Ariel" Regina called, a bit frantically, although she was trying to hide it.

"Hey, mom." Ariel and Henry chorused at the same time.

"Where were you guys?" she asked, still trying to calm her nerves.

"Well, Prince Charming over there," Ariel stated sarcastically, "was apparently slaving the dwarfs and making them check for fairy dust, even on a Saturday; so I told him that since we are back, that maybe he should give them the day off, seeing as the dust isn't as urgently needed at the moment. And then he decided that he wanted to waste some money, so we got groceries." She continued, and smiled sweetly at David's glare, who chuckled, "You used to get away with murder thanks to that smile, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yep" she gloated.

David furrowed his eyebrows at the look on Regina's face.

"Mom, you ok?" Ariel asked, as she too noted the look on her mother's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine sweetie. I just woke up that's all." Regina said, smiling at her daughter, but David still saw past it, "I'll go take a shower and change. David and Henry know where everything goes." She added, as she started ascending the stairs, before the tears that were threatening to fall break out of her control and fall down her cheeks in front of them.

Ariel walked to the kitchen, and didn't see the look that David and Henry shared.

"Uh, Ariel. Did you sneak out of your mother's arms this morning?" David asked, following her into the kitchen.

"Yeah. I didn't want to wake her" she answered him, as she started to unpack the items, and give them to Henry to put away; then noticing the look on David's face, she frowned, "What's wrong?".

David sighed, trying to figure out how to phrase his words, without making Ariel feel guilty.

"Your mother only found out you were alive three weeks ago, and instead of having you in her arms for assurance, she had to watch in horror as Cora attacked and tried to kill you, and her horror was multiplied when Cora recognized you; she saw you tell Snow that you will send them through the portal and wait behind, nearly get killed by an ogre; and last but not least, August trying to revive you. But the one thing that made it all worth it was the fact that you were at last sleeping safely and soundly in her arms." David said in a gentle tone, and saw realization strike Ariel.

"So when she woke up, and I'm nowhere to be found, she thought it was all just a dream." She said softly.

"Exactly." He agreed, gently shaking his head.

"I didn't think of it that way. She was peacefully asleep, and I didn't want to wake her." She said, running her hands through her hair.

"I know. And rationally speaking, so does she. But being a parent, means that sometimes, rationale goes out the window." He gently explained, earning a small chuckle from her.

"Yeah, she probably spent half the night watching me sleep, fearing that I will disappear if she blinks."

"Probably." David agreed.

"I'll go talk to her." She said, and left the kitchen.

* * *

She walked slowly, trying to figure out what she will say to her mother. She knocked gently on the bedroom door, and heard her mother's voice from inside, "Come in".

Ariel opened the door, and saw her mother sitting at the edge of the bed facing the door, her hair still wet from the shower. She looked up and smiled at her daughter, and Ariel noticed that she had been crying.

"Can we talk?" Ariel gently asked.

"Of course." Regina told her.

Ariel walked over to the bed, and sat facing her mother. She took a deep breath before she started talking.

"I'm sorry." Regina looked questioningly at her.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I just didn't want to wake you." She clarified.

Regina looked warmly at her daughter, "You have nothing to apologize for baby. It's ok." She said, stroking her daughter's cheek.

"No it's not. You had every right to freak out. I mean, first Cora ripped dad's heart out, and then basically ripped me out. You spent most of your life thinking that I'm dead. And then you thought you lost Henry too. Then you got him back, and discovered that I'm alive, except I was in a different realm, moreover, I was stranded there with Cora looming by. You watched her as she attacked us, and recognized me; as I told Snow that I will send them and stay behind; the ogres nearly having me for dinner, if it wasn't for your love; and last you knew was that I was dead set against opening the portal with Cora looming by. For a long time, you were losing the things you care about the most. So it makes sense that you would think that I'm next." She told her mother gently, "But mom, you won't lose me. I won't disappear on you, and last night was not a dream." She added, leaning closer to her mother.

"I know," Regina whispered, tears falling down her face, "Rationally speaking I know, it's just…." She drifted off.

"I know, fear is irrational, and you have every right to have it; but Cora is in the Enchanted Forrest, and I'm here. Emma's arrow wounded her badly, and she can't use magic to heal herself, so it will take her sometime. And even if she manages to find a way back here, she won't hurt anyone. I won't let her." She soothed, as she held on to her mother's shaking hand.

"I don't want you to keep fighting for your life, to keep protecting me; you've been doing that your entire life, and it's my job to protect you, not the other way around; and for a very long time I couldn't even do that, I wasn't there when you needed me the most." Regina cried, "I'm scared because I don't know if I'll be able to protect you from her. She wants you dead, and she won't stop till she gets what she wants."

At that moment, realization dawned on Ariel, "You saw her trying to rip my heart out as a baby, didn't you?" she asked her mother, in a horrified tone. And at the look Regina gave her, she knew her answer.

"She won't succeed. Mom, look at me, I won't let her hurt you, I won't let her cause you anymore pain, therefore I won't let her hurt me in anyway, let alone kill me, knowing what it will do to you. I stopped her once and I will do it again. She won't rip my heart out like she did to dad." Ariel assured her mother.

Regina threw her arms around her daughter, and just held tight, taking in her smell. Ariel wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and buried her face in the crook of her neck, and allowed Regina to rock her gently.

"I'm here mom, and I'm not going anywhere." She gently told her, and Regina tightened her hold on her.

After Regina finally let her go, Ariel used her hands to wipe her mother's tears.

"I love you mom, more than anything; always have and always will, nothing will change that. I'm here now, and I'm not going to disappear." She assured her mother, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Regina smiled at her daughter, before she pulled her in for another hug, and kissed her gently on the head.

"I love you too baby." She whispered into her daughter's hair.

* * *

David and Henry were still putting the groceries away, when Snow walked into the kitchen.

"Morning guys."

"Morning sweetheart."

"Morning grandma."

Snow smiled at Henry, it was the first time he called her that, to her face anyways.

"Emma's still asleep?" David asked.

"Yeah, I guess she's not used to the Enchanted Forrest like we are." She chuckled softly, "What about Regina and Ariel? I know Regina is an early riser." She added.

"Actually, so is Ariel. I woke up around 6:30 and found her awake, same for this little guy. Regina woke up about half an hour ago." David said, as he ruffled Henry's hair.

"I got up when I heard your footsteps." Henry clarified.

"Where are they?" Snow asked, and noticing the look her husband and grandson shared, she added, "What's wrong?"

"Well, I went to check on the dwarfs to see how the mining was going, before I went grocery shopping with the list you gave me last night." He told his wife.

"Oh thanks."

"No problem. Anyways, Ariel and Henry came along. And it appears Ariel really knows how to sneak out, since she left without disturbing Regina." And Snow knew what he meant instantly.

"Regina woke up to find her daughter not in her arms, and nowhere in the house." Snow softly said.

"Exactly, I think she was about to have a panic attack when we came in, so Ariel's talking to her right now."

As if on cue, Regina and Ariel walked in.

"Morning Snow, how was your night? Did you sleep well?" Regina asked her, well, her eldest daughter.

Snow smiled at how easily Regina slipped into her mother mode, "Yeah, I slept like a baby." She said, smiling at her. "What about you Ariel?" she asked.

"Out like a light." Ariel stated, "David said that you are planning a huge celebratory breakfast, and even gave him a list of things." Ariel accused.

"Yeah." Snow answered, "You don't have to keep conjuring food, we can make it. I like cooking and you seemed to enjoy your mother's cooking as well."

"I enjoy cooking too sweetie, and Snow had the same idea I did, she just acted first." Regina added.

"You both will change your minds when you can't keep up with Emma's appetite." She playfully declared, causing Snow to erupt in a fit of giggles.

"I heard that." A still half-asleep looking Emma declared,shuffling into the kitchen.

"Doesn't make it any less true." Ariel teased.

"Well, how about you go take a shower, and wash up till we finish breakfast." Snow told Emma, "I know that you inherited your father's cooking skills, or lack thereof." Snow added, smiling sweetly at her husband's glare.

Emma went upstairs to shower, and the rest started working on preparing breakfast. David and Henry helped with the easy stuff, slicing things, putting toast in the toaster, and taking things to the dining room table, as Ariel, Snow and Regina prepared the rest of the food.

* * *

Half an hour later, food was ready and Emma was out of the shower. They all sat down to eat. Regina was at the head of the table, with Henry and Ariel each on one side, Snow next to Ariel, Emma next to Henry, and David across the table from Regina.

Laughter could be heard from the street, as Ariel and Snow kept teasing Emma about her appetite, and surprisingly enough, Regina was the one defending her. The topic then was switched to tales about their time in the Enchanted Forrest, and Emma once more found herself the topic of entertainment; as Ariel and Snow were laughing hysterically at the tales they were telling.

Her father, though he defended her, was in hysterics too. And Henry, well he was Henry, so he tried to spare her feelings, but he couldn't keep the laughing at bay for long. All in all, they were all having a great time and enjoying their time together.

Regina finally decided to save Emma, and switched to an entirely different topic, "You said that you and David told the dwarfs to take the day off from mining, since fairy dust isn't urgently needed anymore?"

"Yeah, it is still needed; with Sneezy and the inability to cross the border. But as far as portals go, it is no longer needed. Once we deal with Cora, I will be more than happy to send anybody wherever they want to go. I even told them that I will try to bring Sneezy's memories back. So they don't have to do it around the clock, and they could take the day off." Ariel clarified.

Emma shifted uncomfortably at the possibility of having to go back; Snow noticed that and decided to ease her daughter's fears.

"Charming and I talked last night, and as much as we loved our lives there, I think we're staying here, especially that I know that mom wants to stay, and I don't want to break the family apart again."

Regina's head snapped up and she stared at Snow; Ariel and Emma's hands froze midway to their mouths; Henry was grinning like Christmas morning had arrived early; and David was smiling.

"Wh….What did you just say?" Regina stuttered.

"I called you mom, because you are my mother, and I can't keep walking around calling you Regina. More importantly, I don't want to." Snow said gently.

Regina's tears were falling by then; Snow got up from her seat and went over and hugged Regina. They both held on tight to each other for a few minutes, before letting go.

"Why do you look like you knew this was going to happen?" Ariel asked David, as she noticed that he was the only one not crying, and not shocked.

"She used it last night, and she always called her that before the curse." He clarified, and Regina felt her heart constrict, both from the happiness and the guilt. Snow saw this and smiled reassuringly at her, which she returned with a grateful one.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, startling all of them.

"I'll get it." Ariel said, getting up.

She walked over to the door and opened it.

"Ariel, step away from the door." David barked, as he raced over. Regina turned around, and then jumped up from her chair and followed David.

* * *

**I know I know…Evil cliffhanger….but it is 4 am here, and I am dying to go to sleep. Hope you all enjoy it.**


	18. Hello Little One

**To Kcrane, mission accomplished :D.**

**To carriemarrie78, yes Hook does deserve a punch in the face. And I hope this fits in with your after school schedule :D.**

**To Jason, of course there is a chapter 18 :D I am not THAT evil :D.**

**To babygirlminds, I guess I'm a bit nicer than the show, since I update daily instead of weekly, :D.**

**To Lady Ffion, not yet :D.**

**To all, I'm afraid I have some bad news, I have a test on Sunday, so this may be the last chapter till then, I promise that I will post if I have time, but if not, don't hate me :D.**

**Thank you all, and hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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Regina and David both ran to the door; Regina stood protectively in front of her daughter, and David stood protectively in front of both. Snow and Emma stood in the doorway of the dining room, with Henry between them. All of them were glaring at the unannounced visitor, as he walked in through the door.

"What are you doing here?" Ariel hissed.

"Well, I heard the rumors and just had to see for myself. You look magnificent dearie." Rumplestilskin said, smirking.

Regina could feel her blood boil inside of her, and pushed Ariel back behind her.

"My, my, it appears your motherly instincts are still as sharp your majesty." He taunted.

"What do you want?" David barked.

"That is none of your business, your highness" Gold answered him, "I'm here to talk to my Goddaughter." He continued, glancing over to Ariel.

"Oh don't flatter yourself." Ariel sneered.

"I saved you didn't I? Your grandmother was hell bound on killing you."

"Right. Except she couldn't, and if I had stayed any longer I would have broken her hold on mom and you know it, you took me because you saw an opportunity to have her in debt to you." Ariel hissed, "Yeah sure you didn't kill me, but giving my mother the final push over the edge isn't exactly an act of love. So why don't you cut the crap and tell me why you're really here?"

"Oh, you're already calling her 'mom', that's sweet. Wonder how long that will last once you know what she has done?" Gold asked, smirking at Regina.

"I already know. And I don't care." Ariel said, smirking at his fallen gloating smile.

"She's a monster." He declared.

"Oh is she now? Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that why you kept me away? Why you tipped Cora about Dad." A collection of gasps was heard, and Rumpelstiltskin's face fell, Ariel continued glaring, and moving out of her mother's protective arm, she continued "you thought Cora would be angry enough to cast the curse to keep them apart; but she took matters into her own hands and killed him, of course she had to shift the blame away so she charmed the truth out of Snow. You were stuck and didn't know what to do, till the day I was born, and you saw an opportunity; Cora would be in your debt and she won't be able to refuse later, she won't need a reason to enact the curse, as long as she remains with the power; but that plan fell through as well, when you realized that the one thing she loves the most is herself. You were screwed and didn't know what to do, so when you saw that mom was desperate to bring Dad back, you knew that losing him would be the final straw, and you snapped it." Ariel was yelling by the end of her speech, and she was standing inches away from him, glaring "So I will ask again, what the hell do you want?" she hissed.

Rumpelstiltskin was silent for a few moments, he hadn't expected Ariel to be like this. Sure he knew she was overprotective, but he thought that he would be able to inflict the ultimate pain on Regina, the same kind of pain he felt; having her child walk away on her after she sees her in a new light. The pain of having your own child look at you like you were a monster. He was trying hard not to let his emotions get the best of him, and his grip on his cane tightened.

"You're the one who told Cora about Daniel?" Snow asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but Cora needed the blame placed on somebody else first, so she charmed the truth out of you." Ariel gently explained to Snow, and saw the tears of pain and guilt slide down her mother's cheeks; Snow knew what Regina was thinking, so she walked over to her and wrapped her hands around her trunk, and rested her head against Regina's temple, "It's alright. You didn't know." She whispered.

Regina's head was spinning and she felt her entire world crumple down, she hurt Snow over nothing. Her mother already knew. She now understood what her father meant when he told her that revenge is consuming to the soul, it doesn't look for logic or reasoning, it's blind. The memory of her father and what she did to him was another thing. She never forgave herself for it; it was the one thorn in her enjoyment of the curse. Her eyes were closed, not wanting to witness the triumphant look on Rumple's face, when she felt small arms go around her waist. She opened her eyes, and smiled at her son, as she rubbed Snow's arms. Emma had walked over as well, and was rubbing circles on her back. She glanced over at Rumpelstiltskin and instead of a gloating look, she saw a sad gaze; an envious one. She was baffled at that. She noticed her daughter and David still held their grounds facing him.

Rumpelstiltskin was speechless, he thought he would make the brunette pay for what she did to Belle, he thought he would take her children away and gets to watch as she pleaded with them. Instead, she seemed to have all of her children around her; Snow and Henry had their arms around her, comforting her; even Emma was there for her as well; and last but not least, David and Ariel were both standing in a protective manner glaring at him. He took one look around and realized that one wrong move on his part, and he is toast. Dark One or not, True Love conquers all, and it comes in many forms.

"You're here about Bae, aren't you?" Ariel asked, as she noticed the look in Rumpelstiltskin's eyes, a longing look. Her voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Bae?" David asked.

"Baelfire, his son." She clarified.

"You have a son?" her mother asked in shock.

Ariel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Then she turned back to Rumpelstiltskin and realization dawned, "She has no idea why you created the curse, does she?" Ariel asked.

"Does she?" this time she yelled, when he didn't answer the first time.

"Yes." He whispered.

"Ariel, what are you talking about? Regina wasn't the one who asked him to create it?" David asked incredulously.

Ariel could feel her resolve start to dissolve and was a minute away from lunging herself at Rumpelstiltskin.

"No, why the hell would you think that?" she answered.

"But she…..she waited for 9 months to enact it. I thought it was because _you _were still creating it." David clarified, directing his last sentence at Rumpelstiltskin.

"That curse took him years to make, and mom had it the second you married Snow. She waited for 9 months to make sure that Emma is born and out of Fairytale Land before she enacts it." Ariel explained.

David looked over at Regina, and seeing the look in her eyes and on her face, he knew that this was the truth. Glancing over at Snow, he realized that Snow knew all along; she knew that Regina had it and didn't enact it, which is why she didn't want them to hurt Regina; she still had hopes that Regina would change her mind.

Ariel was studying Rumpelstiltskin watching as he tried to put his mask back on and regain control over himself, she noted how he wouldn't look in her mother's direction. It was confusing, because he was not a man to avoid eye contact. But then it dawned on her, why he was here, why he looks so desperate, why he was angry that the dwarfs aren't mining anymore.

"You want my help in finding him" she stated.

"What do you mean find him?" Emma asked.

Ariel either ignored Emma's question or didn't hear it. She was looking at Rumpelstiltskin in shock and confusion. His silence was all she needed to know his answer. She felt her anger and hate falter, because at that moment, it wasn't the Dark One standing in front of her with all the bad things he had done; it was a father distraught over the loss of his child, a man desperate to find his son that he is asking the daughter of his sworn enemy for help.

She was pulled out of her own head by Emma's voice yelling her name, "Ariel, what. Do. You. Mean. Find. Him?"

"Baelfire hated that his father was the Dark One, he managed to get his hands on one of the magic beans. He opened a portal to a world without magic." Ariel's explanation was interrupted by her mother's choked voice, "This world."

"Yeah, they were supposed to jump in together. That way Rumpelstiltskin would stop being the Dark One, but he….he..uh..hesitated at the last minute and let go of Bae's hand. Bae was sucked into the portal and it closed." She finished, as she watched Rumple wince at the memory and close his eyes to keep the tears at bay.

"That's why you did all of this? You wanted to follow your son?" Henry spoke for the first time.

"He tried to get a bean, but Hook tricked him after he killed Milah, so he created the curse and bent over backwards to find someone who is desperate enough to enact it for him." Ariel answered him.

"Who's Milah?" David asked.

"His wife."

"You killed your own wife?" Emma asked, shock evident in her voice.

"She abandoned him. She chose her love for Hook over her own son. She ran away." Rumple yelled.

"Oh, so you ripped her heart out for abandoning him? I guess that means that it is only fair that you get the same punishment?" Ariel glared.

"She let her misery cloud her judgment and I let my fear of losing power cloud it. We were both mistaken and horrible parents. Everything I did after that day was for the sake of my son." He retaliated, through gritted teeth.

"OH. Your son jumped into a portal that took him to a different WORLD so that you would STOP using dark magic, not use it some more. How the hell do you think he will feel when he finds out about all the lives that you destroyed? How is he gonna feel when he sees his father tell Cora about my father, and what that little stunt caused? You think he will be happy? If you want your son back, I strongly suggest you change your ways. Otherwise, you will lose him all over again. Except this time, there will be no getting him back."

Rumpelstiltskin took a step forward, but stopped in his tracks, seeing David match his step with a look of 'don't even think about it' on his face.

"Is that why you came? You want Ariel's help in finding him?" Henry asked.

Rumple's silence gave them their answer.

"I'm afraid I can't help you. Using water as looking glass only works when the place I'm looking into has magic. Yes, I can use it as a portal even if the other side doesn't have magic, but I need a destination." Ariel told him.

"That's all I wanted to know." He told her.

"Well, you have a weird way of asking." She retaliated.

"Congratulations, your majesty. It appears you've got your family back, too bad dear old daddy isn't here to see what his little girl has become." Rumple snickered at the pained expression that covered Regina's face, he had to get some of his dignity back.

"GO" David barked. Regina had told him and Henry what happened before, not one of her finest moments, but he didn't want her to relive it.

Rumpelstiltskin walked out of the door, and Ariel slammed it behind him, before she turned to her mother.

She closed the distance in a few hurried steps and threw her arms around her mother. Regina held on tight to her children, basking in their smells and the comfort it brought. The memory of her father and what she did to him was something she was never able to move past, she just buried it deep inside of her. And since she spent the last 28 years making sure that she is the cold-hearted mayor, she was never allowed to mourn his death, his murder more like it. She became aware of her daughter gently rocking her, and rubbing gentle circles on her back. With one final squeeze, she moved out of the 3 pairs of arms around her. But it seems that all 3 had her stubbornness, since none of them let go. They allowed her to stand straight, but still had their arms around her. David had one arm around Emma's shoulder, as she leaned into his side, both watching the scene in front of them, with tears in their eyes.

"Oh, this is definitely a Kodak moment." Emma joked to lighten the mood, and it seemed it worked; Regina, Snow and David burst out laughing, and Henry grinned at her.

"This is a what now?!" Ariel asked, confusion written all over her face, and at her question, her mother and Snow laughed even harder. Emma snickered at her, and David was shaking his head in amusement.

"I now understand your appeal to revenge Regina; I am totally enjoying the look on her face." Emma teased Ariel.

Ariel rolled her eyes good heartedly, and playfully glared at Emma.

"Whaaaaa? You spent 3 weeks in the Enchanted Forrest using me as your entertainment; it's about time the tables are turned on you." She defended herself, putting an innocent look on her face.

"Well, let's go finish breakfast. He interrupted my….what's it called again?" she asked, directing it at Henry.

"Pancakes." Henry answered.

"Right. He interrupted my pancakes time, and I really don't appreciate that." Regina let out a small chuckle at her daughter's words.

"Now who's got the big appetite?" she playfully teased her daughter.

"THANK YOU!" Emma said, in a dramatic air, raising her arms in the air, and stuck her tongue out to Ariel when she noticed the glare.

"Mom, seriously, whose side are you on?" Ariel asked, in mock hurt.

"I still owe her for injuring my mother alone, let alone the fact that it gave you the opportunity to open the portal and come back." Her mother explained, kissing her gently on the temple.

"So how long should I expect you to be on her side?" Ariel playfully teased her mother, happy that they were able to pull her out of her dark thoughts.

"As long as she doesn't hurt you in anyway, and that includes during the sword fights. And the archery lessons" she added as an afterthought.

"How the hell am I supposed to guarantee that?" Emma asked, in mock exasperation.

"Well, how about you don't aim at her?" Regina suggested sarcastically, as they all sat down to eat.

The gentle and loving teasing went back and forth as they ate, and even though Ariel was eating her pancakes and joking with them, Regina noticed the look in her daughter's eyes. Something was on her mind, and it was upsetting her, but she wouldn't let it show. Regina smiled 'mommy's girl', she thought.

They were taking the dishes, the wiped clean empty dishes, back to the kitchen, when the doorbell came again.

"Now, who is it?" Henry wondered.

"With my luck, Jefferson!" Ariel answered, leaving the kitchen to get the door.

They all laughed, before they realized that she may not be mistaken, it's not that far-fetched. They all raced out of the kitchen after her, and calmed down a bit when they heard Ruby's voice and Ariel's laugh. They came into the entryway, just as Mulan and Aurora came in dressed in modern day clothes.

"Looking good guys." Snow complimented, as she said hi to them.

"Thanks." They both answered, walking in to let in the person behind them, Hook.

Emma's mouth fell open in shock when she saw him. He had black jeans and a dark purple t-shirt on.

"Captain Hook" she heard Ariel's voice, in an admiring tone, "I see you clean up nice in David's clothes." She continued.

"Well, as you know love, it's all about the core. I look good in anything." He playfully teased, chuckling at the glare he received. He suddenly felt a wave of pain radiating from his jaw, and the force of whatever it was caused him to stumble back a few steps. He heard Ariel's surprised yelp, and a collection of gasps from the rest of the ladies, and saw David shake his hand.

"Cool" came Henry's exclamation.

"Henry." Regina scolded slightly; she knew why David punched him, as well as Henry, and she was grateful. But she had to scold her son, nonetheless.

"What the hell was that for?" Hook asked, as he rubbed his sore jaw.

"Helping Cora." David lied smoothly; Ariel had no idea that they knew about the rape and he wasn't sure Regina wanted her to know.

"I didn't know. I had no idea, she said she wanted to see her daughter because of what she did to her, as well as everybody. Trust me, if I knew that she was basically the reason for it all, not to mention how she tried to kill Ariel, I never would have helped her." Hook told him.

"Yeah, I got it." David told him, quoting his own words to Whale a few weeks back.

They all walked towards the sitting room, and Regina gave David a grateful smile when no one was looking, and he winked at her.

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**At last here it is, I will try to update before Sunday, but if not then I hope you all understand.**

**To Diejj, I don't want to read complaints about it being short, just be grateful and say thank you :P hope you enjoy it. :D**


	19. Fears, Thoughts, and Promises

**Since I studied hard today, I decided to reward myself and my loyal fans to another chapter, and maybe give Diejj a break from his :D.**

**To Jason, that is what Ariel said. Cora knew about Daniel from Rumple but placed the blame on Snow. And I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the review.**

**To carriemarrie78, no problem hun :D **

**To Lady Ffion, thank you.**

**To Diejj, glad to hear that :D and thanks I need all the luck I can get :D**

**To EvilRegal, looool :D thanks but am a girl not a guy :D and I would love that actually, any ideas on how to get in touch with them? :D. No worries there will be many many icings, but all in good time, I can't give it all at the same time.**

**To all, here's the new chapter.**

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Ariel kept looking skeptically at David, she couldn't help but think that there was more to that punch than just Hook siding with Cora at first, but she was glad he did it nonetheless. They were all in the sitting room discussing things. Red was saying something about a 'welcome home party' at Granny's tomorrow night; David told Mulan that she can help Emma out in the station; Aurora had already decided that she will help Belle in the library; and Hook, well, they wanted him as far away from Regina and David as possible, so he too was helping Emma in the station. David told her that with the curse broken, she will need all the help, with the patrols on the borders and the mines. David had decided to become Regina's deputy, much to her appreciation, and Snow was going back to teaching. She was silent as she heard the discussions and the planning, but she couldn't concentrate; her head was swarming with thoughts. Regina noticed that her daughter was awfully quiet, and seemed preoccupied. She was about to go nudge her and ask her what is wrong, when Henry came skipping in and jumped into Ariel's lap with Regina's phone in hand.

Ariel suddenly felt something heavy fall from the sky in her lap, she snapped back to reality to be met with Henry's wide grin, as he waved something in her face.

"What is that?" Ariel said as she took it from him.

"That is a phone, a cell phone to be more exact." He told her, before he started teaching her how to use it.

Regina couldn't help but watch them both, curled up on the couch, laughing together. She suddenly became aware of Ariel laughing hard and Henry grinning at her. She smiled at them, got up and walked over to them.

"What are you too laughing at?" she asked, as she picked up her daughter's legs and put them over her lap. Ariel twirled the phone around so Regina can see. It was a picture that Henry had taken of her a few years back without her noticing; she had been baking and there appeared to have been an accident with the flour, since her hair was white, and her grey shirt was also white. It was a candid picture, and she loved it.

"I can't believe you still have it. I thought you would have deleted it by now." Henry said through his laughter.

"Why would I delete it? I love it." she told her son, as she pushed some of his hair out of his face.

"You look great mom" Ariel giggled, only to receive a playful swat on her legs, causing her to giggle even harder.

Regina laughed along with them, she was genuinely happy. She looked around the room, and noticing the people sitting there laughing and talking, none of them having a care in the world, and none of them seemed to care that they were in the house of the Evil Queen, she smiled thoughtfully as she realized just how much her mother had been wrong. Power is not what lasts, love is. Love is why Snow forgave her for what happened, why Henry fought to break the curse, why Ariel remained good and pure despite the amount of power she has, and last but not least, love is why she was genuinely happy at the moment. She had everything she needed around her, with the exception of her father and Daniel. But they were both right; love is what saved her after she had to kill Daniel, and revenge and power is what took away her happiness in the first place. She had started to draw circles on Ariel's leg subconsciously with her thumbs, as she watched her daughter interact with Henry, and the rest of them. Ariel was laughing and talking, but Regina couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering her, ever since Rumple came, she hadn't been the same. She could feel her blood start to boil again as she remembered him and what happened this morning. She was pulled back to earth at Ariel's voice.

"Hey, what am I doing here?" she asked, turning the phone towards her mother, "How did you get this?"

"Henry took it while we were looking in the mirror." Regina gently told her.

"Mom said that the only thing she had of you was the blanket you were wrapped in, so when we were watching the memories of what happened, I took this picture. We kind of had no idea when we will be able to get you here, so I figured she can at least have a picture." Henry explained, shyly.

"You're a sweet little genius, aren't you?" Ariel asked, pulling him down for a kiss before she squeezed him in her arms.

"No, I'm a hungry sweet little genius!" he exclaimed, earning laughs from both women.

"I'll go fix us all some lunch." Regina declared, pushing herself off the couch.

"No need, Granny has made Ariel's favorite and told me to come pick it up at 1" Ruby told her.

"Oh, alright then." Regina said, sitting back down.

"So what do you say Flounder, you wanna take a walk and get it?" Red asked her friend.

"Yeah, sure." Ariel answered her.

"We're gonna need a set of extra hands, so Regina?" Red asked.

"Sure." Regina answered.

"We'll set things here till you guys arrive." Snow told them.

"Any special requests?" Regina asked, looking at everyone. They all shook their heads.

Ariel ran upstairs to get her jacket from her mother's room, and Regina and Ruby were putting on theirs by the door.

"Why did you ask me instead of Snow? I know you two are close." Although her tone wasn't accusing, but rather curious.

"I know you wanna spend time with Ariel, and I imagine her walking around town would be nice to witness and be a part of, not to mention our antiques." Red answered her simply.

"Thanks" Regina told her genuinely, smiling at her. They both looked up as they heard Ariel's footsteps hurrying down the stairs.

"Let's go." Ariel said, as they all headed outside.

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Ariel was walking between her mother and Ruby, with her hands inside her jacket pocket. Regina had her arms interlocked with her daughter's as they all walked through town on their way to Granny's.

"Penny for your thoughts, Flounder." Ruby said.

"What thoughts?" Ariel asked.

"The ones that have been on your mind since we came." She told her friend, and noticing the confused look her friend was giving her, "Come on Flounder, give me some credit. I know you, something is worrying your pretty little head." She finished, giggling at the glare Ariel gave her.

"Pretty little head?!" Regina asked, amazed.

"Pirates. They didn't know I was a mermaid, I was fully human and they thought I was a female sailor." She explained.

"Now answer the question." Ruby ordered.

"It's just that Rumple's visit this morning rattled me up a bit." She answered, and felt her mother stiffen at the mention of his name, "He's right about Cora; she was hell bound on killing me and now that she knows I'm alive, she'll try again and she will get rid of anyone who stands in her way; not to mention that coming here pissed her off even more, so I guess I'm just scared that maybe I put you all in danger."

"Sweetie, you didn't put anyone in danger, on the contrary. Look, from what we saw Cora wanted to come to Storybrooke anyways, she was after Regina, and you said she was determined, so she was gonna come here regardless of whether you came or not. At least this way, you can stand up to her." Ruby assured her friend.

"Sweetheart, I told you this morning, stop worrying about all of us. You're not facing her alone anymore." Regina gently told her daughter.

"That's just it mom, I don't want you facing her. She killed dad because he was ruining her plans, I don't even wanna think about what she might do to you." Ariel said, on the verge of a panic attack.

Regina stopped and turned her daughter around to face her, "She killed your father because I let my guard down, but I won't do it again. And besides, you said it yourself that she was hurt badly from Emma's arrow, and you guys took the compass with you. So yes, she most probably will find a way here, but it could take months, and you can't keep worrying about it. If and when she finds a way here, we will face her together. You promised me that you won't let her hurt you and I am promising you the same." Regina gently told her daughter, as she held her face in her hands and gently stroked her cheek with her thumb.

Ariel leaned into her mother's touch, before she tearfully asked, "Promise? I can't lose you mom." She tearfully declared.

"Yes baby I promise, you won't lose me. I won't let her take me away." Regina promised her daughter, taking her into her arms and rocking her gently.

Ariel held tight, basking in her mother's scent and warmth, before she finally let go. Regina used her thumbs to wipe away her tears, before they both turned around to keep walking.

"And if all that doesn't work, turn me into a wolf, and I will be more than happy to fillet her!" Ruby exclaimed, causing Ariel to chuckle.

"Don't worry Flounder, if anybody can give her exactly what she deserves it's you." She said, as she playfully jabbed her with her elbow.

"Do either of you wanna explain the whole Flounder thing?" Regina asked, and her heart fluttered as her daughter burst out laughing hard.

"It's originally Flounder Fillet, but I call her Flounder for short." Red started, seeing as her friend was laughing too hard to talk, "I've been calling her that since she was chased halfway across the ocean by a shark and didn't use her powers. She's a mighty witch and all she did was swim as fast as she could, and straight into her mother's arms. Athena was the one who dealt with the shark." She continued.

"Well, if you hadn't attacked me, I would have had enough energy to use my powers against it without fainting in the middle of the ocean and end up a flounder fillet for real."

"Attacked you?!" Ruby asked horrified.

"It's alright sweetie, it was not the first nor the last time it happened. I was drained from the gash on my side, and subduing you. Of course the smell of blood attracted the damned thing, and I rushed to the castle. I barely made it there, before I fainted in mom's arms. She dealt with the shark then healed me." Ariel told her Ruby, entirely missing the look of pain and slight jealousy on Regina's face.

"How come Triton didn't kill me? He nearly moved the ocean out of its place when he found out."

"Well, I never told him I was hurt. He nearly moved the ocean out of its place because he thought that I had went snooping around in an abandoned ship again and refused to use my powers. Mom and I never told him that you attacked, otherwise he would have locked me in a dungeon every full moon. I may have been good at sneaking out, but that doesn't mean that I exactly enjoyed finding myself in situations where I have to."

"Why didn't you just avoid her during the full moon?" Regina asked.

"Because when she was growing up it wasn't just the full moon, her mood affected it greatly. That day the sky was pitch black, and I turned around to get something, turned back and saw yellow eyes and white teeth. I didn't see her claw coming, I used my powers but she had already gashed me. I turned her back, waited for Granny to come take her, and then went into the water."

"The blood attracted the shark and it chased you." Ruby finished, in horror.

"Yes, but sweetie like I said, it was neither the first nor the last time it happened, but I knew you didn't mean it. And besides, mom appreciated the practice." Ariel added giggling.

Red looked over at her giggling friend, and to her surprise she found Regina giggling silently as well.

"You're laughing? I nearly killed your daughter a hundred times and you're laughing?"

"She's right here isn't she. And besides, I cursed you all, so I really don't get to talk." Regina answered through her giggling.

"Rave, it's really ok. It helped me track you." Ariel comforted her friend.

Both Red and Regina gave her questioning looks, "track her?" Regina asked.

"Yeah. Normally when one is wounded by a wolf, you turn into one. But since there are so many creatures that I can turn into, I didn't become one, but it linked me to her; I could sense her when she morphed. That's how I was able to keep her from killing the villagers whenever she found her way out of the hood. Granny used to come to shore and call for me, but when she realized that I always knew before she did. She would just wait at home till I bring her back." Ariel explained.

"Then how come you didn't stop me that day?" Red asked, a hint of pain in her voice.

"What day?" Ariel asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"The day I killed Peter and all those men." Red answered her quietly.

Both Regina and Ariel stopped dead in their tracks, Ariel was staring at Red with shock and horror written all over her face.

"When the hell was that?" she was finally able to find her voice.

"About a month before I saw you again on the beach." Red answered her.

"Wait, that wasn't the first time you knew?" she incredulously asked.

"No, I told you I found out a month before. Snow was hiding from Regina at our place, and I used the hood to keep her warm, so I turned. One day we figured it out that the wolf was also human, and saw the footsteps leading to my bedroom window, the only one who had been there the night before was Peter. We thought it was him. I met up with him in the woods, and Snow posed as me. He told me to tie him to a tree so that I would be safe if he turns, and…."Red trailed off.

"Oh God! Sweetie I'm so sorry. But hey, you didn't mean it. He told you to tie him up cause he knew that once he turned he wouldn't have been able to recognize you, same for you. There's no way you would've known. I had no idea about any of this. I …uh…. I was in Neverland, and it took me longer than I expected to get back." Ariel added.

Red was silent for a few seconds doing silent math in her head, when realization dawned on her, she turned to look at Ariel, and saw the look on Regina's face behind Ariel's back.

"It's ok sweetie. I know that I couldn't control it. And it's not anyone's fault. I guess it was just meant to be." She reassured her friend.

"I still can't believe Triton never knew." She exclaimed, to change the subject.

Ariel chuckled, "I liked having you around, and besides he flipped out when he knew the shark chased me, imagine what he would have done if he had actually seen me return with 4 huge bleeding claw marks. Mom used to heal me before he got wind of it, and that time i fell asleep for more than half a day."

By then they had rounded the corner to Granny's, so they picked up their pace and walked in.

"Granny!" Ariel squealed and ran into the open arms of the older woman. Granny hugged her tight, "Good to see you too Sweetheart." She said as she rubbed Ariel's back and held her tight.

Regina watched the interaction, and couldn't keep the foolish smile off her face. She was glad that her daughter was loved despite of who she was, and seeing her act like a happy little girl was warming her heart. She watched as they both chit chatted, as Granny and Ruby wrapped up the food.

They took the heavy bags from Granny, and after offering a few times that she joins them, they left the store and headed home. Ruby and Ariel continued teasing each other all the way to Regina's front door, while Regina kept laughing at them, and joining in from time to time.

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After lunch, August swung by to get Hook to accompany him to the station, so they can start working. Aurora and Mulan tagged along; he dropped Aurora at the library; Mulan was dropped off at the border to make sure no one crosses it by mistake, and to notify them of any strangers entering their small town, and of course of any portals; Hook and August were assigned to the beach. Emma had made it clear that she wasn't going back to work for a few more days, so David was still in charge.

The afternoon was spent in the stables, they were teaching Henry and Emma how to ride. Henry was getting the hang of it faster than Emma was,while it appeared that Ariel had inherited her father's natural skills with horses; it didn't take long for the horse to trust her, although she had picked the most stubborn and wild of them all. At some point they decided to give up on training and just have fun; so Henry rode in front of Ariel and Emma rode with Snow.

A few hours later, the all stumbled back into the house, with their take out in hand. They looked exhausted to say the least, but they were all laughing and talking nonetheless.

After dinner, David put some music on and turned around to face Ariel, who had cuddled up between the couch's armrest and her mother's chest.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, as she noticed the mischievous grin he had on his face.

"Well, there's a welcoming party tomorrow, and I will need a dancing partner, and your sister, well she sucks at it." He declared.

"Hey!" Snow yelled from behind him, as the others giggled.

"Well, it's true." He said in an innocent voice.

"What about Emma?" Ariel asked, trying to avoid having to leave the comfort of her mother's embrace.

"I'm afraid she's got her mother's genes. And you're a mermaid so I _know _that you can dance." David said, as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of Regina's arms.

"Oh she had good genes to start with, Regina is a great dancer." Snow told him.

"Really?" Both David and Ariel asked, looking at Regina, who nodded.

"Your father taught me." She said fondly.

"So it's a slam dunk. Great Genes and Mermaid nature, you can't go wrong with that combination." David said as he pressed the play button.

Music filled the house, as David grabbed Ariel and swirled her around before wrapping his other arm around her and started leading her in the dance moves. It didn't take her long to fall in rhythm with the song's beats. Snow and Henry started cheering and clapping, Emma whistled and Regina just sat there watching the scene in front of her, laughing. She couldn't take her eyes off of her daughter. She was smiling and laughing with David as they danced along to the song. She was happy to see that she was no longer worried, and was genuinely relaxed. They courtesy bowed at the end of the song, and fell back into their places.

"My, my prince Charming, I had no idea." Ariel teased him.

"Well I can't be prince Charming if I can't dance, but you; it didn't take you long to follow along the song's rhythms."

"Well, I am a mermaid after all, and like mom said. GREAT genes"

The rest of the evening was spent in talks and laughter. More stories of the Enchanted Forrest were told, both from the past and from Snow and Emma's time there with Ariel. Henry told Ariel about their little shopping trip and some of the stories from before the curse.

At around 10, they all headed upstairs to sleep.

"We need to go empty out the apartment, and get our stuff." Snow told Emma.

"Bring some dressers or something, cause i think the closets are small." Regina told her.

"Yeah, and the water heater. 6 people showering every morning will drain it." she added.

"We can go tomorrow. It's Sunday, we can all help and finish up faster." David said.

"Sounds like a plan." Henry declared through his yawn.

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**Well, i hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think.**


	20. Painful Memories

**To carriemarrie78, glad you liked it sweetie, and it appears you have read my mind :D. Hope you enjoy this.**

**To Kcrane, I have that idea, but so far I can't seem to fit it in, but we'll see.**

**To Jason, lol. No it actually reminded me of Home Alone. Glad you liked it.**

**To Evilregal, ask and you shall receive.**

**To Barbara Montgomery, yay. My first Portuguese review :D. Glad you liked it.**

**To all my readers, reviewers and followers thank you for the support and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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Regina sat in her bed listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom, as her daughter got ready for bed. She was trying to decide whether to talk to her daughter about it or not, if it's better to talk about it or to just let it be. She suddenly became aware of someone calling her; she looked up and found Ariel standing next to the bathroom door.

"I'm sorry sweetie, did you say something?" Regina asked her, as she tried to compose her thoughts.

"No, I just noticed the look on your face. So I called your name." Ariel answered her, "Are you ok?" Ariel asked her, as she walked over to the bed.

"Yeah."Regina gently answered her daughter, a warm and loving smile spread across her lips when she saw Ariel take the pillow next to her, put it in her lap before she laid down on it. Ariel took a hold of one of Regina's hands, and Regina used the other to run her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Then why do you look so….thoughtful?"

"I'm just savoring all of this, I guess." Regina gently chuckled.

Ariel looked up at her mother, and she was confused at the look in them. They were happy and at peace, yet something was bothering her, preventing her from enjoying it all.

"We won't disappear mom. Snow already said that she won't go back to the Enchanted Forrest and Emma wont take Henry away." Ariel assured her mother.

"I know." Regina nearly whispered.

"Neither will I. I will go back for visits but that's it." Ariel added.

Regina just smiled at her daughter. She had to admit that a part of her wanted Ariel to stay, but she knew she couldn't ask.

Ariel saw some of her mother's worry fade away and smiled up at her. Regina returned the smile, and Ariel saw that something was up with her mother.

"Mom, what's wrong? Something is bothering you." She asked her mother, with concern evident in her voice.

"I just….."Regina had absolutely no idea how to finish that sentence. She didn't know what to tell her daughter. Looking down at Ariel, and noticed the worry in her big chocolate eyes, she momentarily lost herself in them; they were warm and loving. She felt Ariel squeeze her hand.

"I know about the rape, sweetheart." She gently said and immediately felt Ariel stiffen, and her hand squeezed tight; as Ariel subconsciously tightened her hold on her mother's hand. Regina squeezed her hand in return, and kept running her fingers through her hair.

Ariel's heart skipped a beat at her mother's words, how could she possibly have known? She averted her mother's gaze and closed her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears at bay. She opened her eyes, when she heard her name being called.

"Ariel." She gently called her daughter. She felt her heart snap in half at the tears and pain she saw in her daughter's eyes once she opened them.

"How?" Ariel asked, still averting her mother's gaze.

"The mirror." Regina answered.

Ariel's head shot up in horror, "You saw it?" she asked.

"No. We saw your conversation with Hook." Regina told her, and hated how Ariel visibly relaxed at that. She shouldn't be worried about what Regina saw, she should focus on herself.

"Is that why David punched him this morning?" Ariel asked, still trying to avoid talking about it.

"Yeah." Came Regina's gentle answer.

"Well, he wasn't lying. He didn't know. I checked; the footsteps I heard were one of the Lost Boys. He had come to get something for Hook from the ship, and heard the commotion. He ran to get Hook, but by the time they arrived I had already escaped." Ariel told her.

"That's the only reason why he's not dead." Regina told her, and she smiled slightly at the small chuckle her daughter released.

Ariel kept silent for a few seconds debating what to do; she could just ask her mother to drop it, but that wont be fair. Not to mention that the bigger part of her wanted to talk about it, to finally let it off her chest. And who better to talk to about this than her mother?

She took a calming breath and released it slowly, before she started telling her mother what happened.

"The first time I went to Neverland was about a year before; I spent over a month there. I used to go back home every day to ease my parents' minds, but then I would go back. I met Hook; and well, I fell for him. So I used to go there more than mom and dad knew about. I didn't tell anyone about it, cause I knew how it was going to sound. That day, I was incredibly upset, so I opened the portal and went through." Ariel started her tale, her voice was pained and choked, and it tore through Regina's heart, "I cried my heart out in his chest." She added, smiling at the memory.

"When he saw how exhausted I was, he suggested that I go below deck and get some sleep. I was too tired to argue so I did. I woke up some time later and found my hands tied to the bed, and 4 sailors standing there. One of them, they called him "The Giant" because of how big he was, was standing over me. I knew what they were going to do, none of them had known I was a mermaid yet. They still thought that I was just a female sailor. Only Hook knew the truth. I tried to use my powers on them, but for some reason I couldn't."

"Fear paralyzes power." Regina gently told her, trying hard to keep her tears at bay. She had to be strong for her daughter.

"Yeah, I figured that part out later. He had started to spread my legs and pull up my dress, when we heard footsteps up on deck. I started screaming, thinking that it was Hook. They all paled and one of them used his hand to cover my mouth. The Giant went up to see what is going on and came back down saying that Hook gave them permission." Ariel said, almost in a whisper. Her voice was choked up from the tears, and she was stuttering a bit.

"I found out later on, that those footsteps was because the boy had already saw what was going on, and knew that he had to go get Hook fast; so he started running and didn't care that his footsteps would be heard. When the Giant got on deck and found it empty, he decided to tell me that Hook agreed to break my spirit. And it worked."

Regina's mind thoughts were filled with images of what Ariel had gone through, she hated herself for not being there for her. She kept running her fingers in her hair, and held her hand tight.

"I couldn't believe my ears, and I think I just stopped fighting. Only one…." She trailed off not knowing how to phrase it.

"It's ok. Keep going I get it." Her mother gently told her.

"I was so angry, that my powers literally exploded out of me. That part is hazy; all I know is, one moment I'm tied to the bed; the next, all 4 of them are pined against the wall with my magic and I have my hand inside the Giant's chest about to rip his heart out." Ariel tearfully told her mother.

"The look of pure horror on his face snapped me out of it. I pulled my hand out, ran back up and left. I hid in Neverland, until I was able to calm down and face my parents." She finished.

"Why didn't you go to them? Why did you face it alone?" Regina gently asked her daughter.

"I couldn't face them. How was I supposed to go tell them this?" she tearfully replied, "I couldn't face you for 3 years." She added.

Regina looked confused at her daughter's statement.

"I knew Cora was gone, I saw the memory before I went to Neverland. That's _why _I went to Neverland. I wanted to clear my head." Ariel explained, "I didn't tell Hook why I was so upset; I told him to shut up, hold me and let me cry, and he did."

Regina's face was unreadable from the amount of emotions she was feeling. She was devastated to hear what her daughter had gone through, alone. And the fact that she kept herself away from her out of shame or fear was horrific.

She gently pulled her daughter up, and gathered her in her arms.

"Baby what happened to you was NOT your fault. Fear paralyzes power, that doesn't mean that you let it happen. Why would you think that I would think that?" she asked, holding her daughter tight against her chest.

"No, mom. I knew you wouldn't think that. I just…. I don't know, I guess I was just scared. I didn't want you to know about it." Ariel said, tightly clutching onto her mother's shirt.

"I'm your mother. I am supposed to know. Hey, look at me." Regina said, as she reluctantly let go of her daughter, and lifted her chin so she could look into her eyes. Regina didn't think her heart would snap any further but she was mistaken, as she felt it shatter at the pain in her daughter's eyes.

"None of this was your fault. And that won't make me look at you differently. You're my daughter, my baby. And I am very proud of that. So don't ever think that something like this would get me to push you away. Nothing will." She gently, yet firmly, assured her daughter.

"I know that. I just…" Ariel trailed.

"I know." Regina said, pulling her back into her arms.

Ariel held tight onto her mother's pajama top and cried her heart out. Regina could feel her tears soaking through the silk fabric, and her heart snapped with every sob and shake. She didn't try to get her to calm down; she knew she had to release it all. So she just held her close, ran her fingers in her hair and rubbed circles on her back. She occasionally kissed her head, and whispered reassuring words like 'it's ok' or 'I've got you' to her. She was glad that her daughter had finally opened up about what happened. But it pained her that she had to face it alone the first time, and throughout all those years. It angered her, infuriated her that she did, if only Cora and Rumpelstiltskin hadn't took her away, maybe she would have been able to protect her against all of this. She vowed that they WILL pay for it.

About an hour later, Ariel had finally stopped crying and fell asleep against her mother's chest. Her mother's steady heart beat and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed calmed her down. She was still clutching onto her mother's pajama top though. Regina used one arm to put the pillow back in its place, before she slid under the covers with her daughter in her arms. She moved slowly, so that she doesn't wake up. She turned onto her side, so Ariel would more comfortable, and wrapped both her arms around her. She suddenly realized that she was humming the song that she sang to her while she was still pregnant, the one in the locket. She smiled as she saw Ariel's peaceful face and kissed her forehead gently.

She kept her mouth resting against her daughter's forehead, taking in her smell. Her daughter's warm breath against her skin, and the warmth of being in her arms, calmed her down as she drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, she felt something resting against her chest before she opened her eyes. She fluttered her eyes open, and was met with her daughter's hair. She gently looked down, and saw that what was resting against her chest was Ariel's hand as she rested her head on it. She smiled gently at her daughter, and used her hand to get some of her hair out of her face, gently stroking her cheek. She felt her other arm around her waist.

She lay in bed for a few moments watching her daughter sleep. She looked so peaceful, and so….young. Regina looked over Ariel's shoulder at the clock and saw that it was before 7. She quietly and gently wiggled her way out of her daughter's arms; made sure she didn't wake her and then left the room. She figured she can wash her face in the downstairs bathroom to avoid waking her daughter. She tiptoed her way to the stairs, and gently climbed them down. It was a Sunday, so she knew that they will all probably sleep in. She nearly jumped out of her skin, when she walked into the kitchen and found Snow there. Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the yell before it escaped her lips.

"Oh my God, Snow. You scared the hell out of me." She whispered.

"Sorry." Snow smiled apologetically.

"No it's ok. I just didn't expect anyone to be awake at this hour on a Sunday."

"Yeah, I've been up for a while actually."

"Something bothering you?" Regina asked, concerned.

"No. But I'm not much of a sleeper." She said smiling, "She told you about the rape didn't she?" she asked, as she noted the look on Regina's face.

Regina looked at Snow in shock and confusion, "How…?"

"Hook told me." She answered, and Regina raised an eyebrow.

"I saw the way he was looking at her, so I cornered him and he told me the story. But she doesn't know I know."

"Yeah, well she knows that this is why David punched him yesterday."

"David knows?"

"Yeah, so do Henry and Ruby. We all saw her and Hook argue about it after the ogre attack. And even though I know Hook fed them to the sharks, and that he didn't know, I still find myself wanting to punch him."

"I did. I tried to take the high road after he told me, but then I turned around and punched him." Snow declared.

"Thank you." Regina smiled gratefully at her.

"I can't imagine what she must feel like. What you must feel like." Snow thought out loud.

"She's devastated. She didn't tell Athena or Triton, and she even kept her distance from me AFTER she knew that my mother was gone because of this. She was scared of facing us." Regina told her, and Snow easily spotted the held back tears in her mother's voice.

"Oh God".

"Every sob and shake tore through my heart. I felt so powerless, I want to take it all away and I cant." She went on, as tears started to fall down her face.

Snow walked over to her and wrapped her in a hug, "I know. But you're no powerless; giving her an opportunity to talk about it and let it all out is huge. Especially with you around; she didn't just need the support of somebody, she needed her mom." She soothed.

"I know. But I just…."Regina trailed off, not knowing how to finish her thought.

Snow caught on what her mother wanted to say, "Hey, this had nothing to do with what happened to you. They didn't hurt her because of who you were, no one knew she was yours. Hell, you didn't know she was yours. You didn't fail her mom, if you knew that she existed, that she was out there, you would have searched the globe till you got your hands on her. And she knows that. And I know that if you knew what happened at the time, you would have brought them back to life just so you can feed them to the sharks yourself." Snow soothingly said, as she rubbed her mother's back.

Regina chuckled at Snow's last sentence, and hearing Snow calling her 'mom' was heart warming as well.

"Snow?!" David's questioning voice came from the doorway of the kitchen.

Both Snow and Regina turned to face him, and concern clouded his face at the tears running down both women's faces, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"We were just talking about what happened to Ariel in Neverland." Snow told her husband, coyly avoiding using the word 'rape'.

"You know?" he asked in shock.

"Yeah, I cornered Hook and he told me. But she doesn't know I know."

"She knows you know though. She figured out that this is why you punched him." Regina informed him.

"And I will again if he so much as looks at her in a way I don't like." David stated, and both women burst out laughing.

"What's so funny? I wasn't joking."

"Oh I know." Snow giggled.

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**I know I know, short chapter, but the next one will be long I promise. Although it wont be tomorrow, unless I take some sort of break from studying. Hope you all enjoy it and please R&R.**


	21. Apologies

**To carriemarrie78, I'm afraid there will be no more freaking out :D. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.**

**To Guest, thank you for the review. And I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.**

**To Aby, thanks. Glad you liked it.**

**To Guest, thank you.**

**To Jason, lol I was in tears too. And yeah, it does make us look at Hook in a new light. Even in the episode they didn't show him as being disrespectful to women. And I'm rooting for a Snow/Regina relationship on the show, so I guess I'm doing it here till they do it there :D.**

**To Madison, lol. I think the poor guy's had enough punching. But don't worry, you won't be disappointed. And I'm afraid I won't be bringing back the Evil Queen side of Regina that much. Glad you liked it, thanks for the ideas and hope you enjoy it.**

**To all, thanks for reading and following. Hope you all enjoy the new chapter.**

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Henry Mills always knew that he was different than the other kids in Storybrooke. For one thing, he knew that Regina wasn't the woman who gave birth to him. He looked nothing like her; she had dark hair and dark brown eyes, while he had blue eyes and light brown hair. He had fair skin, and she didn't. The other thing was the fact that he seemed to grow up and they never do. He can't remember the exact time when he noticed that, but he did nonetheless.

He also remembered how his mother used to be before he figured it all out. He never really thought of looking for his birth mother before, because he didn't care. Regina was his mother, and he loved her to pieces. She took great care of him growing up. She may have been the cold, strict mayor to the town's people, but she was a warm and loving mother to him. He remembers the countless times he had crawled up in bed next to her after a bad dream, and how she always welcomed him with open arms, and a warm embrace. How she made a big deal out of his birthdays every year, made sure they were special. And even after he started pushing her away, he knew she loved him. Otherwise, she would've just given him up to Emma to get rid of him. He knew that when the choice was, she either loses him or the curse, she chose the curse. It showed him that she really loved him; and a part of him knew that no matter how hard he pushed her away, that she won't give up. So he did it without fear. The day she told him to go home with David, he knew how hard it was for her, and it was really hard for him too. He didn't know what to do, if he kept her in his life, people might turn on his grandfather because of it. A part of him hoped that she would break her promise to him, to make it a bit easier that he's staying away from her. But she didn't! Moreover, she went to Archie to ask for help in keeping up her promise. She kept her word, and started redeeming herself. And he was happy to get his mother back.

What no one realized was, even though Henry wanted the curse broken and always insisted that she was the Evil Queen; it hurt him more than it showed when he was proven correct. He loved her, she was his mother. He didn't want her to be evil. So yeah sure he was happy that the curse was broken, but he suddenly lost his footing. For so long, attacking his mother because she was the Evil Queen was a constant in his life. So it took him some time to readjust.

After they found out about Ariel and they moved in with her; he was ecstatic. He enjoyed having her tuck him in every night, waking up to her voice in the morning as she gently woke him up for school, and last but not least, the aroma of her Sunday morning breakfast. He loved waking up to it. So when he opened his eyes lazily and looked at the clock and saw that it was after 7, he was surprised when the house didn't smell like it's supposed to. He rubbed his eyes a few times to get the sleep out of them, before he swung his legs over the edge and got up. He thought that maybe once he opens his bedroom door that the smell will hit him, but again no.

He thought that maybe she was still asleep, so he went over to her room. He opened the door slowly and quietly so that he doesn't startle her; but only found Ariel sleeping. He went downstairs; and as he approached the first floor, he heard laughter coming from the kitchen. He easily recognized his mother's laugh, and his heart warmed up. He loved her and he was happy to hear her laugh. He walked faster now and as he reached the kitchen, he heard Snow's voice, "Oh I know."

He walked in and saw both his mother and grandmother with tears in their eyes, although they were laughing. He wasn't sure if the tears meant that they were crying before, or that they were signs of how hard they laughed.

"What's so funny?" he asked, and he couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face when they started laughing again. He may have no idea why they are laughing, but he was glad that he was able to draw a smile on his mother's face.

"I have no idea!" his grandfather answered him.

"Sure you don't!" Regina's sarcastically told him through her laughter.

Henry looked at her and his heart melted at the genuine happiness, love, warmth and sparkle that he saw in her eyes. Before he could think about it any further, Emma's grumpy sleepy voice came from behind him.

"Why are you all so perked up, mom?" then noticing that Regina was laughing too, "Regina you are the Evil Queen, it goes against the laws of nature that you be perky in the morning." She grumbled.

Regina laughed good heartedly at her remark, "What can I say? I'm a morning person." she said with a bit of a dramatic air, earning laughs from them all.

"Where's Ariel?" Emma asked, noticing the one missing resident.

"Still asleep." Henry and Regina exclaimed at the same time.

"When the house didn't smell like your Sunday morning breakfast, I thought that you might still be sleeping so I checked in your room, and found her sound asleep." He explained, noticing the questioning gazes he got.

"Well, sorry about that. We were up talking late last night, so I guess I overslept." She smiled at him, "Why don't you three go shower and get ready till Snow and I finish making breakfast. At least this way, my poor water heater will have some time to heat some more water before the rest of us have to shower."

"I already showered. So it's gonna be just you and Ariel." Snow remarked.

"That sounds great. Does the downstairs bathroom have a shower?" Emma asked.

"No. But you can use mine; I need to talk to mom first." Henry told her.

"Alright."

"Is everything ok?" Regina worriedly asked her son.

"Yeah. I just need to talk to you if you don't mind." He answered.

"Of Course sweetheart." She said, following him out of the kitchen and into the living room. They both walked in and Henry closed the door behind them.

She sat on the couch, and to her surprise, Henry jumped into her lap. She noticed that he seemed a bit distraught, as he kept playing with her hand.

"Henry." She gently called him, and used her hand to lift his head up to her. She furrowed her eyebrows in surprise and worry at the sadness she saw in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly.

Regina looked even more confused, "What could you possibly have to be sorry for?" she gently asked.

The sincerity in her statement pained him, that even after everything he did, she doesn't think that he has anything to be sorry for.

"Sweetheart, talk to me." Regina gently stroked her son's cheek, noticing the pained expression on his face.

"You were always a wonderful mother to me, even after I started pushing you away. You knew I was right, and it would have been easier to send me back or get rid of me so that I would stop, but you didn't. I kept pushing you away because I knew you will never go away. And even though I know that I said it many times before, but I don't hate you. I love you, and a part of me didn't want you to be the Evil Queen because I didn't want to lose you. But I never thought about asking why you didn't like Snow White. I just sent accusations and didn't care how it will affect you or why you did them." His rant was stopped by his mother pulling him into her arms. He buried his face in her chest, and wrapped his arms around her hard.

Regina was stunned into silence by her son's words, and he was talking so fast that she didn't have a chance to stop him, so she just hugged him. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her hand on his head, gently stroking his hair as he buried his face in her neck.

"Shhhhh, it's alright sweetheart." She kissed him gently on the side of his head, and almost cried herself when he leaned into her kiss.

"Hey, Henry look at me." She reluctantly pulled him out of her arms after a few moments. And she felt her heart snap for the second time in less than 12 hours when she saw his tears and guilt.

"You have NOTHING to be sorry for. You are my son and I love you no matter what. A part of me was glad that you figured it out so that finally someone gave me a way out. And you had every right to attack me. I made you feel like you had to. Like I said, I wasn't capable of love for a very long time, and I was scared of losing you. But I went about it the wrong way. I'm glad that you fought to break the curse and I'm very very sorry that you got caught in the cross-fire. But if you hadn't done that, I never would have got my family back. I never would have got my life back. Emma may have broken the curse, but you are my savior. You are what kept me sane this whole time, what kept the piece of my mother's soul of taking complete control." She gently explained, and she warmed up a bit at the small smile that appeared on his lips.

"So you're not mad at me?" he asked hopefully.

"Never was. You are my son and I love you. And don't ever think that anything will ever make me think about giving you up." She assured him.

She fell back against the back of the couch, from the force of Henry flinging his arms around her neck. She was laughing softly, and she kept running her fingers through his hair.

"I love you mom, always have and always will." He murmured against her hair.

"I love you too baby." She said as she kissed him.

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**I know it's short and I promise I will try to update again today, but my roommate is sleeping and she will kill me if I don't stop typing! Let me know what you think.**


	22. Packing, Accusations and Surprises

**To rebakathy, yeah I wish they do it too. I just finished yesterday's episode and I hate how Henry reacted to seeing Regina when he woke up. But since this is **_**my **_**story I guess I don't have to follow the show :D. Glad you enjoyed it that much.**

**To Percybeth4ever, good to hear from you again :D. Thank you for the ideas and I will see what I can do about Henry's father, and about Cora. As for being up, it was actually 6 am where I live :D and I was up because of my 5 year old. And I do need caffeine but something a lot stronger than that :D.**

**To carriemarrie78, I guess I can't say no to you now :D. Good luck with school on Veterans Day. Hope this makes it all worth it.**

**To Percabeth2645, I see you are a new comer :D. Thank you for the review and glad to see you surprised :D. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the story.**

**To EvilRegal, no worries dearie, you will be happy :D and so will she.**

**To Guest, I am glad you liked and yes I agree. I don't like how he treats her on the show.**

**Thanks to all my readers, and here's another chapter just in case I don't update tomorrow.**

**Also, bits and pieces of last night's episode "Child of the Moon" will be in the chapter but of course differently. I just love the episode so much that I wanna use some of it.**

**I, unfortunately, don't own anything.**

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Regina held her son in her arms for a while, she enjoyed having him in her arms like this; it hadn't happened in far too long. She finally felt him letting go, so she loosened her grip on him. He unwrapped his arms, but remained in her lap and kept his head on her chest. The sound of her heart beat, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed and her scent had a calming effect on him. He missed her and he was relishing in the sense of normality and stability it brought him; she didn't seem to mind that he was there either. She was caressing the back of his hand with her thumb, and using her other one to gently smooth his hair, all the while resting her head on top of his.

"Thank you." He said gently without moving an inch from his position.

"What for?" her voice was soft, warm and loving, and she didn't move either.

"For keeping your promise about magic; I know it wasn't easy. And for being my mom."

He felt her kiss him hard on the head, as she wrapped her arm around him. He leaned into the kiss and her embrace.

"Anything for you baby." She gently told him.

"Does that include your usual Sunday breakfast?!" he asked sweetly, and smiled as her body shook against his with laughter.

"Of course. Go shower till it's done." She said through laughter.

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Regina and Snow were moving around the kitchen preparing Regina's famous Sunday breakfast, per Henry's request. They were talking and planning the rest of the day, when Emma and David walked in, both freshly showered.

"That smells wonderful." Emma growled like a hungry animal.

"Wait till you actually eat it. With cooking skills like these, I'm surprised you didn't own a restaurant during the curse." David teased.

"Tell me about it. She made the cook change his ways when she married Dad, because she didn't like his ways. Kind of why I wanted her back so much." Snow played along.

"Why do you think I wanted to come back so bad?" Henry's gentle teasing came from behind David, and he winked at his mother; letting her know that he was only joking.

Regina was laughing at their gentle teasing. And they all noticed that her laughter and happiness actually reached her eyes. She was genuinely happy and she wasn't scared of showing it. She realized that being happy doesn't make her weak; it makes her strong. And he who dares disturb it will pay hell for it. Hell hath no fury like an angry mother protecting her family.

"Why don't you guys help Snow set the table while I go wake Ariel up?" she told them. And they all nodded.

She walked up the stairs, and the noises coming from the kitchen warmed her heart and she couldn't help the foolish grin on her face. And she couldn't care less about it.

She opened the door gently and paused in the doorway. She leaned against the doorframe and smiled softly at the sight. Ariel was curled up and tangled in the covers, as she hugged some of it. The white pillow case and covers were contrasting beautifully with her dark hair. Regina walked over to the bed, raised one leg to sit, then leaned forward to reach her daughter's sleeping form.

"Ariel." she gently called, pushing some of her daughter's hair out of her face.

Ariel shifted slightly at her touch, but didn't wake up.

"Come on sweetheart, wake up." She started rubbing her back, and this time her efforts paid off. Ariel's eyes started to flutter, before she finally opened them.

"Good morning sunshine." She gently told her daughter, and her heart melted at the sleepy smile her daughter gave her.

"Is it morning already?" Ariel's voice was still a little hoarse from sleep, and she smiled faintly at the amount of love she saw in her mother's eyes.

Regina chuckled at her daughter's words, "Yes, I'm afraid it is. Breakfast is ready and we're all waiting for you."

Regina's smile grew when she saw her daughter's pout and humph, "Come on sleepy head. We still have a long day ahead of us." She said, pulling her daughter into a sitting position.

"Are you trying to get me out of bed, or make sure I stay in it?" Ariel sarcastically asked her mother, as she laid her head in her lap; she still refused to get up.

Regina laughed whole heartedly at her daughter's behavior, "It will be fun I promise." She said, as she wiggled her way from under her daughter, and pulled her off the bed.

"Go splash some water on your face, it will help." Regina told her daughter, and waited for her before they both left the room.

She suddenly found Ariel's arms around her from behind, and her weight slightly supported on her shoulders. She turned her face slightly so she can look at her daughter. But before she could ask, Ariel kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you." She said sincerely.

"For what?" confusion evident in her voice.

"For last night." Ariel's simple answer stopped her in her tracks. She turned slightly in her daughter's arms so she can look at her. It seemed that both her children had decided it was 'Thank and Apologize to Mom Day'.

"Sweetheart I am your mother. You don't have to thank me. I wish I can take it away, but since I can't, the least I can do is be there for you." She assured her daughter firmly.

"I know. But I know it wasn't easy hearing about it; and I guess I'm saying thank you for prying it out of me." Ariel told her mother.

"Anytime baby." Regina said, as she kissed her daughter's head, "Now come on before Emma finishes off the food and you are left with nothing." She added teasingly; before she burst out laughing as her daughter basically ran and pulled her along.

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After breakfast, they all got ready to go to Snow's apartment to pack up the things. They swung by to buy some boxes and bubble wrap first before they finally got to the apartment. They bought extra bubble wrap for Ariel to pop on her way.

Henry was holding his mother's phone to record the scene playing out in front of him. Ariel was trying to sit on David's shoulders; some of Snow's stuff were on high shelves and she had no ladder to use. Ariel offered to wiggle her fingers and get them down. But since Henry had decided that magic is only used when necessary, they had to figure out another way. They finally decided that since Ariel was light enough for David to carry, she will sit on his shoulders and hand them the stuff to put in boxes.

After a "Charming, if you drop her, I will turn into the Evil Queen" from Regina; and an "I won't stop her" from Snow, Ariel got up on the counter top to be at the proper height to reach his shoulders.

"Henry can I please use my magic at least to make sure that I don't break my neck when if I fall?" Ariel asked, as she slowly got on David's shoulders.

"Yes. If you fall, you can fume out." he said as he tried to get a better angle.

She finally managed to get onto David's shoulders and position herself properly to make sure that she's stable. She wrapped her legs around his trunk and he had his hands right above her knees, pressing down to keep her steady as he moved.

She started giving Emma the stuff one by one, as Snow and Regina went back to packing up the rest of the apartment. They were all startled when a sudden banging came from the door, followed by a little girl's call "Henry!"

David whipped around from the surprise, forgetting that he had a passenger, "DAVID!" Ariel screamed, as she reached out to steady herself on the cabinets.

"Sorry." He apologized, and looked at Henry who had a surprised expression on his face, "That's Grace!" he exclaimed as Snow went to get the door.

"Who's Grace?" Ariel asked, still on top of David's shoulder, who answered her, "Jefferson's daughter."

Snow yelped in surprise when the girl slammed into her, tackling her waist and crying hard.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she gently asked, rubbing the girl's back to sooth her.

"GRACE. Come on sweetheart." They heard Jefferson's voice coming from the stairwell.

Grace moved her head from Snow's stomach and looked behind her. When she saw her father getting close, she ran into the apartment; away from the door. And to everyone's surprise, she stood behind Regina.

Jefferson walked into the apartment and felt pain stab him when he saw his daughter hiding from him and behind the Evil Queen no less.

"Sweetheart…" he tried but was interrupted; "NO!" she screamed through her tears, "You lied to me; you always told me that she was bad; but you were responsible for it." She was yelling hysterically.

"What the hell is going on?" a stunned Regina asked.

Jefferson took a step towards his daughter, causing her to hide even more behind Regina; who instinctively had an arm extended protectively in front of the little girl.

"You lied to me. You told me that she couldn't be trusted because the last time you did, she left you in Wonderland. You told me that she always has an agenda and tries to hurt people. That it was only a matter of time before she drops her act. Even after everything she did to try and make up for the bad things she did." Grace cried from her place behind Regina, "You made it seem like she left you there for pleasure; NOT BECAUSE YOU TRICKED HER! You told me she was a monster and that she took you away and sent us all here. But you helped her be like that. You helped them trick her. She wasn't a monster; she made sure that I was taken care of after she left you in Wonderland; she made sure I had a nice home with a nice couple who couldn't have children. Even here, she put me with them. If she was a monster, why would she do all of that? Wouldn't she let me suffer for her entertainment? You told me that she was the monster, when in reality YOU ARE!"

Every word that came from her mouth tore through Jefferson's heart like a million daggers. His tears were falling down his cheeks. He hated to see his daughter in pain, even more at his hands; especially that he knew that her words held more than a grain of truth in them. Hell, there was not a single lie in them. The occupants of the room were stunned into silence. When David told the town's people what happened, he left Jefferson's name out of it for that specific reason. He didn't want her to hate her father; he was all she had and he didn't want to destroy his image.

Grace was crying hysterically now; and to Jefferson's surprise Regina turned around and took the girl in her arms to try and sooth her. What surprised him even more; was his daughter's arms which wrapped tightly around Regina's waist.

"Grace where did you hear all that?" she gently asked the girl, who had her face buried in Regina's stomach.

"Some kids told me. They said that Papa was just as responsible for the curse as you were." She mumbled against Regina's stomach.

Regina held the girl by the shoulders before pulling her out back a bit. She kneeled down to be at level with her eyes.

"Listen sweetie; your father was also tricked." Regina told her, and the already surprised occupants of the room; were even more surprised now. Especially Jefferson; whose confused expression was mirrored by his daughter.

"The man who asked your father for help is called Rumpelstiltskin; he's here in this world. He…he sort of has a way with words; he knows how to toy with them to make a deal seem harmless when in reality it isn't. I made that mistake as well. Your father may have helped him, but I don't think he knew what he was really helping him achieve." Regina gently explained.

Jefferson was staring at Regina with his mouth open from the shock. He hadn't expected her to save him like this; he was expecting her to bask in his pain and how his daughter was pushing him away. Instead, she managed to make him seem like a victim.

The remaining occupants of the room were shocked as well; they all knew that Regina was lying through her teeth. But they all knew why she did it. Ariel, Henry and Snow couldn't help the proud smiles off their faces; especially Henry and Snow. David and Emma were smiling at her approvingly.

"And even though he may have done some bad things in the past, when you were born, he changed for you." She continued, "He loved you very much, and I am sorry I took him away from you. So don't make the same mistake I did; I didn't see past his change and I ended up punishing you along with him, I did it with a lot of people. I know that you love him, and he loves you too. So don't give all that up for one mistake that happened a very long time ago, ok?"

Grace nodded at Regina, before she threw her arms around her neck. 6 pairs of eyebrows hit 6 hairlines from the surprise. Regina let out a surprised "Oh" before she hugged the girl back.

"Thank you." Grace said, as she let go of Regina.

"Don't mention it sweetie." Regina told her as she wiped her tears, "Now go to your daddy." She added with a smile.

Grace didn't need to be told twice; she moved around Regina and ran into her father's open arms.

"I'm sorry Papa" she mumbled into his neck.

"It's ok sweetheart. You have nothing to be sorry for." He genuinely told her.

"Henry, why don't you show Grace where the upstairs bathroom is? So she can wash her face?" Snow suggested, knowing that the adults in the room needed to talk.

Henry nodded and took Grace's hand as he led her up the stairs.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, Jefferson turned towards David. "You promised that my name was going to stay out of it! I know you hate me and I can't blame you. But she's just a child!" he seethed, although he kept his voice down.

"You think I did this? Unlike you Jefferson, I don't take pleasure in trickery. I didn't tell anyone about your involvement in what happened with Daniel and Regina the first time." David glared at him, "None of us did." he added firmly, noticing the look on Jefferson's face and how he glanced over at Regina.

Jefferson kept shifting his gaze between Regina and David; if he wasn't so angry at what happened he would have found David's situation very amusing. In the midst of what happened, David hadn't got the chance to lower Ariel off his shoulder. So he was basically fighting a man with a woman on top of his shoulders. It seemed even weirder due to the uncanny resemblance she had to her mother. It was like he was carrying a 'mini-Regina' on his shoulders.

"If you didn't then who the hell did?" he asked, a bit calmer now; since he had decided that David was in fact telling the truth.

"That deal had 2 more people Jefferson. Try asking one of them." Ariel told him, and he noticed the venom in her voice, 'mommy's girl' he thought. But he knew better than to point it out, he knew her reputation; including the one from the Enchanted Forrest. So he knew better than to piss her off; any further that is.

Before either of them had the chance to say anything else, Henry and Grace came walking back down the stairs.

"Let's go home Papa." Grace said, taking a hold of her father's hand.

"Yeah." He said, as they walked towards the door.

As soon as the door clicked behind them, Snow burst out laughing. They all shot her questioning gazes. It took her a few seconds to be able to answer their unsaid questions, "You two were the ones glaring at him the most, and I have no idea how he managed to take you both seriously when you look like this." She was gesturing with her hand to Ariel and David.

"You do realize that I am up here to get _your _stuff!" Ariel mock glared at her; before chuckling at the toothy grin Snow gave her.

They returned to the tasks they had before the interruption.

An hour later, they were finished and they were carrying the boxes to the cars. Henry stood in the street, till all the boxes were out of the apartment. The dwarfs were gonna come and get the furniture and take it to the storage unit they rented.

After they filled Regina's car, David's pick-up truck and Snow's car with the boxes; they decided to go to Granny's for a late brunch before heading home to unpack.

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**Here we go. It is a little longer than the last one and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**The links I posted on my profile will make sense in the next chapter, which I will try to finish by tonight. **

**Let me know what you think.**


	23. The Party and The Party Crasher

**To Diejj, opsy! Sorry about that :D and good to hear from you again. Glad you liked it and hope I'm forgiven now :D**

**To EvilRegal, looooooool! Well I guess now the writers will officially hate me :D. As for Neal and Maleficent I'm afraid it won't happen. With Neal, I really don't see him with Regina. And Emma killed Maleficent so she can't come back. And can you please post me the link of the promo where they said she was Regina's sister, I can't find it anywhere. Hope you enjoy the chapters and the coming twists. As always, thank you for the review and ideas.**

**To Jason, she is my favorite character after all. Glad you liked it, and yes I do take requests but I can't promise that I can make them happen. :D can't wait for your input.**

**To LilahMorgan, spoken like a true mother :D. you rarely comment but you humble me every time. Thank you for the review and yeah, they are starting to realize that they have a hand in it too.**

**To babygirlminds, tell me about it :D.**

**To carriemarrie78, glad you liked the chapter and here's another one to improve the day. :D**

**To all, here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy it.**

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Ruby was cleaning the counter-top when the bell above the door rang. She looked up to see The Charmings as well as The Mills entering the diner; all dressed in casual attire.

"Hey guys." she greeted them cheerfully.

"Hey Ruby" came from all of them.

Since they were 6 and no table could fit them, they decided to occupy the counter. After taking their orders, she leaned against the counter chatting with them.

"How did the packing go?" she asked.

"Great!" Henry said, pulling out Regina's phone to show her the video of Ariel and Charming. Then they told her about the incident with Jefferson. She was laughing hysterically when she heard how David and Ariel were talking to him in the position they were in.

"And he actually took you guys seriously?!" she asked between giggles.

"Hey! We did NOT look THAT ridiculous." Ariel protested, "Ok, maybe we did!" she added when she saw the video.

She presented them with their food and they started eating when Snow noticed that Ruby seemed a bit distracted.

"Red, are you ok? You seem a little distracted." She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Didn't get much sleep last night though." She told her with somewhat of a forced smile.

"Liar! You're scared of something." Ariel stated, "You're not the only one who is part wolf around here. You reek of fear. What's going on?" she added, noticing the questioning looks she got.

"You're part wolf?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, she scratched, well, gashed me once. But I don't turn into one; I just have the hearing and smelling abilities of it." Ariel explained, "So, what's scaring you?" she asked, turning her head back to Ruby.

"Tonight is a full moon." Ruby nervously answered.

"So?" Ariel failed to see the connection.

"Wolf time. I'm worried about what I might do." She explained.

"You still can't find the hood?" David asked.

"The hood is missing?!" Snow asked, shock and a bit of fear evident in her voice.

"Yeah. I looked all over town for it; even went to Gold. But I can't seem to find it. I think it didn't make it here." Ruby told them, a bit of panic in her voice.

"But you know how to control it." Ariel stated.

"I haven't done that for 28 years. I'm a little rusty and I don't wanna take any chances." Ruby whispered.

"This isn't the first full moon since the curse broke; what did you do last time?" Emma asked.

"We drugged her. And Granny stayed on watch all night with a tranquilizer gun just in case." David explained.

"Yeah, but I still turned. And I can't keep drugging myself every time. Especially with the party tonight." She declared.

"Well, I'll track down the hood tomorrow and I'll stay with you tonight." Ariel soothed.

"What? No." Red exclaimed.

"What do you mean no? I made the hood, I can turn you back, and I can track it." Ariel exclaimed confused. Her confusion only deepened at Ruby's vigorous head shaking.

"Ariel, you said it yourself. I attacked you many times. You ended up with a huge claw mark many times, and Granny said that I barely missed your neck the last time I saw you. Athena is not here to heal you; so no! I won't risk it." Ruby was hysterical by then. Ariel got up and moved around the counter to face Ruby.

"Sweetie, calm down. The claw marks were always on pitch black nights. Like I said, you were young and when you got angry or upset, you would turn. That's why I would get injured, because it would be so dark that I actually can't see your claw coming at me. The only time that I was mortally wounded was the time I got chased by the shark. And I only got injured because I was young and the only way for my magic to work at the time was that if you touched me. After the time with the shark, I figured out a way to touch you without losing half my blood." Ariel tried to sooth her hysterical friend.

"What about the last time? I nearly bit your neck, literally."

"That's because I wasn't on guard. I didn't know that you were upset so I didn't take any precautions. You came to the shore, called me, and I had barely transformed into a human before you attacked. And besides, that's not why I stopped seeing you after that anyways. Dad told me about who mom was and I was a little furious that he kept it from me; especially when he said that the only reason why he told me is because Cora was starting to get wind of me."

"He told you that because it's what Granny told him. She had followed me that night, remember? She said that when she saw how close I was to killing you, because I caught you off guard, she knew that she had to keep me away until I grow out of it, until only the full moon turns me. She couldn't tell Triton the truth, so she told him something that would make him keep you in the water. She asked him that he lets you ashore if she needs your help in controlling me. He told you about Regina probably because you were too stubborn to listen."

Ariel was stunned a bit by what her friend told her.

"Remember the nights when you would come to the shore and tell me that you were upset?" Ariel calmly asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you remember what we used to do?"

"You would create a ring of fire around us, and we would lie in it for the rest of the night watching the sky and talking." Ruby recounted, a fond smile gracing her lips at the memory.

"Exactly. You never turned during those nights. Wolfs are afraid of fire, and that ring was both fire and my magic. As long as you were in it, you couldn't turn. And I held your hand throughout the night as extra precaution." Ariel gently explained, "The 2 nights when I ended up mortally wounded was because you didn't tell me you were upset, so I had no reason to create it. But tonight, after the party you and I can go somewhere where we can do the exact same thing. And I promise you, you will find me in one piece and gash free in the morning." She added.

Ruby nodded slowly at her friend.

"That's my girl. And tomorrow I will track down the hood for you, so you can use it till you get back the control."

"Thanks Flounder."

"No thanks needed sweetie." Ariel smiled, sitting back into her chair and finishing her lunch.

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An hour later, they all walked into the house with boxes in their arms. It took a few trips till all 3 cars were empty. 3 hours later, all the boxes that needed unpacking were done, and the ones that needed storing were in the basement. The new water heater was also installed and ready to use.

Henry and Ariel had covered the floor in bubble wrap, and started walking on it; and it wasn't long before Emma joined them. The remaining three occupants of the house were laughing in amusement at their children, while Regina recorded it all.

Regina glanced at her watch and noticed that it was 5, "Okay guys, playtime's over. We have a party to get ready for." She declared, as she clapped her hands to get their attention.

"Really? It's 5 already." Emma said as she noticed the time.

"Well, since Henry and I won't need as much time getting ready. Why don't you four shower first so that we actually make it on time?" David suggested, and both he and Henry started laughing as they saw all 4 women dart upstairs. It wasn't long before they saw Regina huffing as she came back down the stairs.

"I take it Ariel won!" David teased, and chuckled at the glare he got.

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An hour later, all the residents had showered. Henry and David were sitting in Henry's room laughing at the 4 women who were walking around in their bathrobes from one room to the other, as they borrowed things.

They both went down to get a glass of apple cider, to kill some time as the women got ready. At 6:45 they heard the loud clicking of 4 pairs of heels coming down the stairs. They walked out of the kitchen, where they were sitting, and smiled broadly at the sight of the women. They all looked gorgeous, and David felt tears pricking the corner of his eyes at the sight of his daughter in a dress.

"Beautiful. Absolutely Beautiful" Henry exclaimed.

They all giggled at the compliment and paused dramatically.

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Regina and Snow sat at Granny's enjoying the party, as they watched David and August spinning and twirling Ariel and Emma on the dance floor. Both mothers had huge smiles on their faces as they watched their daughters dance; especially when David was dancing with Emma. After the song ended, they all walked over to the table laughing.

"Come on Regina; let's see what you've got." David said, as he took a hold of Regina's hand.

"What? No!" she objected trying to pull her hands out of his, although she was laughing.

"Oh come on. The groom is supposed to have a dance with his mother-in-law at the wedding. I never did get the chance; because you and the bride were too busy threatening each other." He pleaded playfully.

"Oh alright." She caved in. Emma and Henry started whistling as Snow and Ariel clapped.

When Ruby saw David leading Regina onto the dance floor; she put on Dean Martin's "Sway".

Regina glared at a grinning Ruby before she spun into David's arms. They started dancing together, and all the guests stood back and watched their Evil Queen and cold-hearted mayor let loose on the dance floor as she danced with her son-in-law. She had a huge genuine smile on her face, that threatened to split it in half. Everybody clapped once the song was over, when suddenly someone's voice cut through the noise.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Our Prince is all nice and sweet with the Evil Queen."

James and Regina turned their heads towards the sound, and the crowd cleared to show who it was.

"What are you doing here?" David growled.

"Who's this?" Ariel whispered to a shocked looking Snow.

"King George." Snow's shocked voice answered her.

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**I know I know, it's short. But hey, it's the third chapter I post today so I'm forgiven :D.**

**Let me know what you all think and hopefully I will update on Wednesday. **


	24. Who is the Monstrous Of Them All

**To Percybeth4ever, I promise you that I will try. If I see that it fits the story I will do it. Glad you like it and always good to hear from you. :D**

**To carriemarrie78, no awkwardness at all. I'm 26 :D **

**To Jason, yeah that would be a great scene :D. And it appears you have read my mind. **

**To EvilRegal, humbled as always :D. Thank you.**

**To Katward, thank you. Glad you enjoyed it that much :D.**

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Ariel's mind went blank when she heard his name; she knew of his reputation and what he had done; Lancelot filled her in.

"Stay here." She instructed Henry, Emma and Snow, before she got off her seat and walked over to stand next to her mother.

"Oh, if it isn't little miss mermaid; Evil Spawn." George seethed.

Regina's blood boiled and she was about to lunge herself at him, when Ariel put a hand on her arm and squeezed.

"What. Do. You. Want?" David hissed.

"I just wanted to see with my own eyes our loyal Prince as he slowly sells out to the Evil Queen. I was wondering how she managed to trick you; but it seems like you went along with her willingly".

"Well, at least she admitted to her mistakes and is trying to set things right. At least she knew what she did was horrible. At least she was under a spell. What's your excuse?" David was now standing inches away from his face.

"You are nothing more than just a shepherd pretending to be a prince."

"The people know exactly who I am. And they were the ones that asked me to be Sherriff while Emma was gone, and they're the ones who asked Regina to become the Mayor again. So I ask again, why are you here? This is a private party." David said, smugly.

"I wonder how long that will last once the people learn how you are lying to them; once they know what you and your new found friends have been hiding things from them. Facts; important facts; that would affect their lives, their safety and the safety of their children." George's temper was flaring.

"What the hell are you talking about? We have no secrets from this town. We told them everything." David defended.

"Oh you know very well what I'm talking about." George told him.

David looked confused.

"He means Jefferson." Ariel's voice came from behind him. David whipped his head around and stared at her in shock.

"You're the one who told those parents and made sure that they tell their children. You knew exactly which parents will take action." Ariel yelled.

"Clever girl; too clever for your own good." George said, stepping closer to them.

David stood in his face and Regina pushed her daughter behind her.

"Regina is not the monster here; you are. That little girl is innocent. But you really don't care, do you? You just want to destroy everyone's families." Leroy was the one to step up, having had enough with George's arrogance. He wasn't fond of Regina at first, but she more than proved that she was really willing to change.

King George looked around him and realized that he wasn't accomplishing his goal, "You should have killed me when you had the chance." He hissed so only David can hear.

"I'm not a killer, but if you wanna challenge me. I will take you down, again." David assured him, and watched him leave.

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Regina tossed and turned in her bed, trying to stop thinking about things and go to sleep. Tomorrow was Monday which means work; so she needs sleep. But it appears her brain, and more importantly her heart, had other plans.

After they returned from the party, Ariel ran upstairs and changed into casual clothes before she went off into the woods with Ruby for the night. She watched her as she basically ran around the second floor getting ready; burrowing a boot from Emma so that bugs don't use her feet as snacks and a wool hat from Snow for her head. She was worried sick, although she tried to hide it. She knew that her daughter was powerful and that Ruby won't hurt her; but she still couldn't keep the dark thoughts out of her head. When she lay down in bed she also realized that she wasn't ready to let her daughter sleep away from the safety of her arms; another reason why she couldn't fall asleep; her arms felt empty. She tried to think of something else to help her calm down and sleep, only for her mind to wander off to the incident with King George. She couldn't shake his words out of her head, and the way he was looking at Ariel. She knew in the pit of her stomach that he wants to harm her. She tried to assure herself a million times over that King George is a mortal and that Ariel was one of the most powerful witches of all time; actually THE most powerful witch, but none of it seemed to work.

She turned her head to check the bedside clock, 3:30 Am. She sighed as she threw the covers off of her. She had decided to give up on sleep. She switched on the lights and chuckled at the mess Ariel had managed to make. Regina's room was usually incredibly organized; not one thing out of place. But right now, that room was nowhere to be found. Torn tags and empty shopping bags lined the floor of her closet; the dress that she wore was flung onto the chair; the silver sandals were thrown haphazardly in one corner and there were empty hangers lying about. Regina moved around the room to put things away. As she put the dress on the hanger and lifted her arm to hang it, it brushed against her nose and she caught the smell of her daughter. She pulled it back and pressed it against her nose, relishing in the comfort it brought. She knew that this was ridiculous; that it was only one night and she will be back in no time. Not to mention that she is a fully grown witch. But hey, being a parent was all about being irrational sometimes. She just got her baby back 48 hours ago after spending her entire life thinking that she was dead. And it took 3 weeks for her be there to hold after she learned the truth. She watched numerous occasions where her daughter nearly died; so she had every reason to be panicking and irrationally scared and worried about her.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a gentle knock on the door; "Come in." she said from her place inside the closet. She walked out expecting to see a worried Snow, "Emma!" she said in shock.

"Hey, can I come in?" Emma asked awkwardly.

"Of course, why are you up at this hour?" Regina asked, genuinely concerned.

"Thinking, you?"

"Worrying."

"She's fine, Regina. She's powerful, even when she's exhausted and half asleep." Emma assured her, as she sat on the bed.

"I know, I know. I just…" Regina shook her head, as she sat facing Emma.

"Yeah, I get it. It's not easy what you went through, and I'm guessing you're not ready to have her sleep outside the safety of your arms."

"Yeah, I nearly had a heart attack the first morning she was here when I woke up and she was nowhere in the house."

"At least you waited till you searched the entire house before you panicked. Mom nearly panicked when she didn't find me next to her, WITHOUT even looking anywhere else."

"What happened?" Regina asked, chuckling slightly.

"Well, I couldn't sleep that night. It had been 10 days since Cora's last attack, and I couldn't get myself to stop thinking about what her agenda might be. After a few hours of tossing and turning, I looked outside and saw Ariel playing with a branch in the sand. So I decided since we're both up, we might as well keep each other company. I walked over to her and we sat there talking, when suddenly mom's frantic voice woke everybody up."

"Well, I can't really blame her. My mother…..well you've met her. I can't blame Snow for freaking out."

"Yeah I have. And I can honestly say that I do not know how you survived that. I mean, I know that you became the Evil Queen for a while; but it took a piece of her soul to accomplish that. And I only saw what she did and I had half a mind to do the same thing."

"Yeah, we heard you tell Ariel that." Regina said smiling.

"I meant it. Some of the stuff that we saw…they're sick. The only good footage was the look on her face when you told her you're pregnant." Emma smirked at the memory.

"I don't think I actually saw that. I was too busy looking at the floor; I only saw the raged expression."

"When Ariel gets back have her show it to you. It's priceless." Emma declared and Regina chuckled softly.

"Emma I owe you an apology…"

"Nop, nah ah. We are not doing this. Mom and Dad told me to expect it. Look, yes you did some pretty horrible things, even to me. But most of them were because you didn't want to lose your son, and I respect that. Even when you were fighting hard to keep the curse, you were fighting to keep him too. You knew that the second that curse breaks, he's gone. Which is why you didn't just hand him over to me; even when you knew that it would keep the curse intact. You wanted your son and you wanted to be happy; yes you went about it the wrong way but I fully understand why. So just forget it, alright? No hard feelings."

"Thank you." Regina's voice was soft.

"No problem. I'm glad that you decided to change and open up to us; I like this Regina more than the one laced with Cora."

Regina laughed at her statement.

"So now that we know what's keeping me up; what about you?" Regina asked her, as she lay on her side facing Emma and supported her head on her hand.

"Like I said; thinking."

"About?" Regina made a gesture with her hand for Emma to continue.

"Henry's father."

"Yeah, he told me that he was a firefighter who died in the line of duty." Regina recounted, "But that's not what happened." She added, as she noticed that Emma looked like a dear caught in a head light.

"Not exactly. His father is neither dead, nor a firefighter. I told him that because he was so depressed at the time and didn't think that good can win. I didn't have the heart to tell him that his father was a coward who set me up. I didn't want to break his spirit anymore. And I didn't think that I was going to be around long enough for me to have to tell him the truth." Emma explained.

"But now you're thinking about telling him?"

"More like thinking about what to do. Should I just leave the situation as it is? Should I tell him the truth? Will it do more harm than good? I'm confused and I don't know what to do." Emma was pleading at the end.

"I think you should tell him. These things have a tendency to surface sooner or later; and if he heard about it from anybody but you…" she trailed off, knowing that Emma knew the end of the sentence.

"That's what got me thinking in the first place. Spencer or King George's threats; especially when I asked mom about him. He made sure that Jefferson's daughter heard about what Jefferson did, I really don't think it's that far-fetched that he would dig up my past and makes sure Henry knows who his father really is."

"Which is why I think you should be the one to tell him."

"Any tips? How did you tell him that he was adopted?"

"Well, it had been a sore subject for a while. He had started to notice that he looks nothing like me; how I never talked about his father; and then one day he came home from school crying that he heard one of the parents saying that he's not really mine. I gently explained it all, and he actually took it better than I expected."

"How old was he?"

"7"

"Wow, he always had an eye for details didn't he?"

Regina chuckled, "Oh yeah. Why don't you ask Ariel, maybe she can help? I'm sure that finding out that you're the Evil Queen's daughter wasn't easy. Ask her how Triton and Athena approached the subject."

"She didn't say that she got upset when she found out about that. She only said that she got pissed when she saw you push Cora into the portal."

Regina just shrugged her shoulder.

"Hey, she loves you to death."

"I know that, but….I should've known she was alive."

"How? She lived in Atlantica and was only allowed ashore at night. Regina, you couldn't have known. And besides, you never wanted to give her up. She was taken from you and moreover, you thought she was dead. I gave Henry up willingly because I wanted to give him his best shot and it still hurt like hell; so I did what you did; I buried it deep inside of me. Even if you hadn't, you still wouldn't have sensed her; Triton made sure of that. No one can blame you for not even looking; you didn't know she was there to look for."

"Yeah, I know all that. But I still can't help but feel guilty. I should have been able to see past my mother's magic."

"How? She's powerful. A small piece of her soul and look what happened. Listen, Ariel doesn't blame you for anything; not even for nearly cutting a deal with Rumpelstiltskin about her. She actually said that she was upset that it fell through; she knew you would recognize her the second you laid eyes on her. And Henry understands too, we all do. Believe in yourself again and bring back the girl who fell in love with her stable boy."

"Trying."

"Well, you're off to a great start. And, by the way, from what we saw of him; I know that he would want you to be happy; that's he's not mad at you for what you did. You had to let him go to save Henry and yourself."

Regina's tears were running at the mention of his name, and she nodded slowly.

"What do you mean what you saw?" Regina asked, whipping away her tears.

"Well; after we got the Golden Compass, we started discussing ways to get the ashes of the wardrobe from Cora, when Mulan said she had a better idea. She said she knows someone who can help us. She tied Hook up and told me and mom to stand on guard. She disappeared for a few moments, then came back and told us to go to the shore and we will find 'her' there. So we went, as soon as mom saw her she became hysterical; she started shaking her head and saying 'No'. I was speechless; she looked so much like you that she had to be yours. It appears that mom thought that she was her sister. Ariel must've caught on cause she was like 'Regina's daughter; Not your sister'. That got me confused and it only grew when mom seemed to know what she meant and went 'Daniel'. My patience was running thin by then, so I asked what is going on. Ariel said it would be easier if she just showed us. She waved her hand and the water started showing the memories. She started with who Daniel was so that I would be up to date on the information. Then she worked her way up the memory lane." Emma explained.

"So you saw him…."

"Yeah. We saw the whole thing. But Ariel had walked away a few steps; she said she wasn't fond of watching some of the scenes, and I can't blame her." Emma's voice was calm and reassuring.

"And by the way, I totally get why you fell in love with him; he was a great guy. GREAT looking too." Emma added, in an effort to lighten the mood. It seemed to have worked; since Regina started laughing.

"Yeah, he was." She said, as she wiped her tears.

"I know that they all say that Ariel is the spitting image of you; but she has his eyes. The color may be yours, but the shape is his."

"Yeah I know; I noticed it when we saw you guys in the mirror. But since no one had seen Daniel, and she looks like me for the most part; people overlook it."

Emma nodded and they both fell in a comfortable silence for a few seconds.

"Can I ask you something?" Regina finally broke the silence.

"Of course."

"Did Ariel at least say goodbye to Triton and Athena before you came?"

Emma was confused at the question but answered nonetheless, "Yeah, she called them to shore before she opened the portal."

Regina nodded solemnly, "Good." Her voice was nearly a whisper; and Emma was confused at first at the slight pain in her tone. But then realization dawned.

"Regina you won't have to say goodbye to Henry. I know that now that I'm here things will be different; but we'll figure something out. It doesn't make you a hypocrite that you want them both; it makes you a great mother. And besides, it's different with Ariel. From what I understand; she used to move around a lot. She's been going to Neverland since she was 14; and going into other realms since before then. Apparently she knew how to open portals at 12 and she took full advantage. So they're used to not having her around. And besides; she'll still be going back every once in a while. And I guess they can think of it as marriage. But with you and Henry; he's been with you for 10 years, and I know I said before that it didn't seem like he was getting his best shot, but I was wrong. You are a wonderful mother; and those are his words not mine, but I agree. You raised him and cared for him for 10 years; I can't just waltz in here and yank him. I saw how relieved he looked when you were tucking him in tonight; I can't do it to either of you." She gently assured the now crying brunette.

"Thanks Emma. You have no idea how much this means to me." Regina's tone was genuine.

"Yes I do. And no problem."

Regina smiled gratefully at Emma before she looked in the general direction of the stairs; at the sound of the front door closing. A few seconds later the bedroom door opened and Ariel walked in; making both women realize that they have been chatting for hours, and that the sun was up.

"Hey, how did it go?" Emma asked a very-tired-looking Ariel.

"Great actually; she didn't turn at all. I told her that as soon as I get some sleep I will try to track the hood. Although I think I already know who has it. Why are you two up?" Ariel said, climbing into bed and resting her head on her now-sitting-mother's lap, who immediately started running her fingers in her daughter's hair. Ariel loved the feeling of her mother's fingers in her hair; it had a soothing effect on her.

"Talking. You mean Gold?" Emma stated.

"Yeah; Granny said she asked him and he said he doesn't have it." A very sleepy Ariel answered in between her yawns.

"But you don't believe him?" her mother asked.

"Nop. Even if he doesn't have it, I think he knows who does."

"Before you sleep; I need your advice on something." Emma said, gently shaking a dozing off Ariel.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I kind of lied to Henry about who his father was, and I need your help on how to tell him."

"Lied how?" Ariel asked.

Emma and Regina filled her in on the story.

"I need to find a way to tell him that won't make him hate me; or mad at me." Emma finished.

"He won't hate you; but getting mad at you, that ship has sailed. Right now it is more of _how mad_ he will be." Ariel told her, her tone apologetic.

"Well how did Triton and Athena do it? Maybe it can help." Emma pleaded.

"Well, considering the fact that I didn't talk to either of them for almost 3 weeks; I don't think they'll be much help; and besides circumstances were different." Ariel simply stated. Since she had her head in her mother's lap and was facing Emma, she completely missed the pained expression on Regina's face, same for Emma.

"Great!" Emma exclaimed, slumping over in defeat.

"Look, how about you just gently explain the situation; and acknowledge his feelings. And most importantly, absorb his anger and work through whatever he throws at you." Ariel gently told her.

Whatever Emma was going to say was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Regina called.

The door opened revealing Henry.

"Morning sweetheart." Regina said, smiling at her son; who shuffled over to the bed and threw himself on it.

"How come you're up this early? School's still a couple of hours away." Emma asked him.

"I don't know. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep; so I got up and heard noises here so I came." He mumbled sleepily against his sister's stomach, where his head was buried.

"Well, I'm glad because I need to talk to you about something." Emma stated.

Regina and Ariel shot her surprised questioning glances; which she replied to with a smile.

"Talk about what?" Henry said, turning around to face her.

"Something I should have a told you a while ago, but didn't know how." She stated.

Regina and Ariel made a move to get up from their places, but she gestured with her hand for them to stay. Seeing the plea in her eyes, they both made themselves comfortable again; with Ariel's head still in Regina's lap.

"Okay, sure. What is it?" Henry asked in an eager voice.

Emma took a deep breath and released it slowly to calm her nerves.

"It's about your father."

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**I know that it is an evil cliffhanger and I promise I will update in the morning, but it is 4 am here and I'm sleepy. Hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think.**


	25. Open Hearts And Secrets Unsealed

**To Jason, it appears that your tears fall as fast as mine :D and since you all agree that I should write the show, somebody get the producers on the phone :D and I think you all just convinced me to write another story.**

**To Barbara Montgomery, sorry I deprived you of sleep :D but this is the sooner that I managed to update. Hop you enjoy this :D**

**To carriemarrie78, well Regina is her mother after all. Glad you liked it.**

**To Percybeth4ever, you have no idea how hard your review made me laugh. It's cute :D I always appreciate criticism as long as it's constructive, and patience my dear all will come in a good time. Thank you for the review both positive and negative :D hope you enjoy it. **

**To Gizela, I think Regina might have rubbed off on me too much. xD is this soon enough? :D :P**

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Henry perked up immediately at the mention of his father; and Emma could feel a stab of pain knowing what it will do to him.

"What about him?" he asked enthusiastically; getting up from his place and crossing his legs. He felt his mother's hand smoothing his hair before it rested on his shoulder.

Emma fiddled with her fingers for a few seconds; trying to get her thoughts in order.

"I….uh….I wasn't honest with you that day" she said gently.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Emma told him the story of what happened; how they met, their relationship and finally how he sold her out.

Henry had started shaking his head, and was staring at her wide eyed with confusion and hurt. It tore through Emma's heart seeing him like this. Regina kept rubbing and squeezing his shoulder, and Ariel was squeezing his hand reassuringly; his hand had found hers somewhere in the conversation. Emma only now registered that in the course of the story, Henry had backed away from her and into Regina's arms. She didn't mind that he was seeking comfort from Regina; she minded that he was seeking comfort because of her. And she realized that this is how Regina must have felt all those times the situation was reversed; that it must have been worse for Regina because she was used to having Henry seek comfort from her and not Emma.

By the end of the story, he was slightly shaking in Regina's arms and his breathing was a bit irregular from the pain and hurt he felt. His tears were running down his cheeks.

"Henry please say something." Emma begged him.

"You lied to me; you knew how much I hated being lied to and you did it anyways." He accused; his voice was filled with pain, and….guilt?!

"I know. But you were so convinced that good can't win and you were upset and I just couldn't let you down any further." She explained.

"NO!" he yelled, jumping out of Regina's arms; who instantly missed his warmth and felt her heart snap seeing the look on his face for the first time.

"You lied to me. You told me he was a hero; that I was like him. You should've told me the truth. You…I…" he found himself at a loss for words, so he just turned around and ran out of the room.

"Henry" Came from both his mothers.

"No, I'll get him." Ariel said, jumping out of bed and following him.

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"Regina?" Snow called, as she and David entered Regina's room. Her brows furrowed in confusion and worry when she saw Emma's tear stained face.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" she asked her daughter who was leaning on her…._grandmother?!_

"She told Henry the truth about his father." Regina gently explained, rubbing Emma's arm.

"Oh." Snow sympathetically replied; having heard the story in the Enchanted Forrest.

"What truth?" David asked confused; he had no idea what any one is talking about.

"Long story." Ariel's voice came from behind him.

Emma immediately sat straight "how is he?" she asked worriedly.

"Angry, shocked, confused and feels guilty about something." Ariel answered; Snow and David couldn't help but notice how tired she sounded and looked.

"We're going for a walk and cocoa at Granny's before school." She continued.

"How much does he hate me?" Emma asked, not entirely sure that she wants to know the answer to that.

Ariel cocked her head to side, "He doesn't hate you Emma. But it's not easy finding out that your father is not the hero you thought he was. He's angry and I know what it feels like, so I'll talk to him. I promise I'll explain everything once I get it out of him. Just give him time, he needs it. " She gently assured her.

Emma nodded solemnly.

"How was the night with Ruby?" Snow asked, in an effort to stir the conversation away from the tensed subject.

"Great actually; she didn't turn. Not once, we talked all night till the sun came up and then we went home." her voice seemed distant as she was watched her mother intently; she had a weird look on her face.

"Ariel" Henry's voice was heard from the hallway.

"Coming. David are you going to the station?" she asked, as she pulled her jacket on.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"I need to talk to you about something. I'll swing by after I drop Henry off." She explained; before she leaned over giving her mother a peck on the cheek, "And you, get some sleep. I will be crawling next to you soon." She said gently. Regina smiled softly at her daughter; before she turned around and left.

Emma watched Ariel leave and saw Henry standing there waiting for her. The look on his face broke her heart but she was glad that he smiled softly at her before leaving with Ariel.

"So what truth?!" David asked pointedly. And all the women sighed before starting the tale again. The tale was told mostly by Regina and Snow, since Emma was still distraught over Henry.

David could feel his fatherly instincts kicking in! He was secretly planning what he would do to this guy once he gets his hands on him. He was beyond furious and had his jaw set tight to control the anger bubbling up inside of him.

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Ariel and Henry walked down the street, and waited till they cleared the house before Henry broke the silence.

"Are you sure none of them followed us?" Henry asked her.

"Henry they wouldn't do that. And besides I'm part wolf remember? I will smell it if anyone followed." She assured him.

"Right." And she noted that his voice didn't hold the usual enthusiasm and spirit.

"Talk to me kiddo." She gently said.

"She lied to me. I told her a million times over that I hated being lied to but she did it anyways."

"She was trying to protect you Henry. She didn't think that you need to know the truth; especially at the time. She thought she was doing what was right for you. Yes, you told her you don't like being lied to; but she thought that this was one thing where it will be better to lie to you about than tell you the truth."

"I know; I understand her reasons. That's not why I'm mad." Henry told her.

"Then why are you mad?"

"Cause I'm a hypocrite." His answer was simple and blunt, and it shocked Ariel.

Her eyes widened in shock and confusion, "A hypocrite?!"

"Yeah." His voice was so small and broken that she could feel her heart break inside her chest.

"Sweetie you're not a hypocrite. What makes you say that?" she gently asked.

"I was so mad at mom for so long because she kept lying to me about everything. I treated her badly because of it; I was horrible and mean to her all the time because of her lies. I thought she was a terrible person and that it justifies my behavior towards her; all because she lied. I rubbed Emma in her face over and over again; how good she was, that even though she made mistakes she never lied about them. And after all of that I discover that Emma lied too, and that based on my own logic I was supposed to give her the same treatment I gave mom, that she deserved it too. And…." His rant came to a halt by Ariel's hand on his shoulder. She stopped him in his tracks and turned him around to look at her.

Ariel couldn't believe her ears; Henry wasn't mad at Emma. Or at least not as mad as he is at himself. His rage was over guilt! She bent down a bit so she can look into his eyes; since she was still wearing Emma's flat boots, she was about a foot taller than him.

"Sweetie; you're mad at yourself?!" she asked in shock and disbelief; though her voice was gentle.

"Yes. I was horrible to her Ariel; really horrible. I called her the Evil Queen more times than I could count, told her I hated her even more. She raised me for 10 years and she was great; even after I accused her of being the Evil Queen and was horrible to her, she never stopped. I know that all the stuff she did was because she was trying to keep the curse intact so that she doesn't lose me; that she was scared of letting it go. But she never gave me up or was even mean to me; after magic was back she got her powers back so that she can get me back. And then she let me go when she realized that it was for the best. I even told her that she wasn't my mother and that Emma was. I rubbed Emma in her face for being good and I just…" he suddenly stopped, slightly out of breath; from talking too fast, as well as crying.

Ariel stood straight before she pulled him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held tightly. He buried his face in her chest as she ran her fingers in his hair soothingly, and rocked them gently.

They stood there for a while; and when Ariel realized that he wasn't letting go anytime soon, she decided to talk, "Henry listen to me," she started. Henry lifted his head from her chest, but didn't break out of her hold on him, "You are not a hypocrite. You didn't know about your father and that Emma lied; and you were right about mom being the Evil Queen. Yes, it wasn't as black and white as you thought, but again you didn't know. You're young sweetie and mom said that she didn't handle your discovery very well, so I'm sure you didn't have much of a choice. The fact that you feel bad about it right now means that you're not a bad person and that you love her. And I think you knew all along that she loved you and that she won't let you go no matter how hard you push her. Listen, you were hurt. You thought she lied to you and you didn't handle it well; and the fact that she kept lying didn't help." She was looking him straight in the eyes.

"I knew she wouldn't let me go, and when I apologized to her, she said that I didn't have anything to be sorry for. And somehow that made me feel even worse; she was taking all the blame. Yes, she may have lied and handled it the wrong way, but I was no better." He said, burying his face in her chest again.

"Yes I know. But that's what a parent is all about; you forgive your kids for their mistakes no matter how heinous they were and no matter how much they hurt you; because you love them so much that you just forget about it the moment you see them hurt or when they apologize. Mom feels terrible for allowing the piece of Cora to take control, and she hates that sometimes she handled you the same way Cora handled her. So it makes sense that she doesn't blame you for how you treated her, she understands."

"Yeah, she may have let it take control when she dealt with other people but never with me. Not until I got the book from Grandma and started treating her differently; and even then she wasn't any where near as bad."

"Which is worse in her eyes; that when it really mattered, when it was basically the ultimate test of how different she was from Cora, she failed and turned into her."

"But that wasn't the ultimate test; she didn't give me to Emma to protect her curse and she even helped Emma get the True Love potion so that they can wake me up, knowing that it can very well break the curse but she didn't care, as long as I am safe and alive."

"Well how about you tell her that? I know that you already had this conversation but maybe you can be a bit more specific this time; tell them both what you just told me, and anything else you feel like telling them."

"Will you be there?" His voice had a pleading tone.

"If you want me to, yes." She smiled reassuringly at him.

"I do." He stated.

"Then of course I'll be there."

"You know; finding out that you have an older sister after 10 years of being an only child is not as bad as they make it seem." Henry mumbled against her body, and smiled as her body shook with laughter against his.

"Glad to hear that." She said kissing his head.

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The bell over the door chimed and Granny looked up from the books, "Ariel! I didn't expect to see you till tomorrow morning." She exclaimed surprised.

Henry's face contorted in guilt, worry and alarm as soon as he heard Granny's statement, "Oh no! I totally forgot that you were up all night with Ruby in the woods. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, it's no big deal. I was up for 3 weeks in the Enchanted Forrest, I'm used to it. And besides I'd take a walk with you over sleep any day of the week and twice on Sunday." She assured him, and smiled at the toothy grin he gave her.

"What can I get the two of you then?" Granny asked.

"Cocoa for him and the strongest coffee you have for me." Ariel exclaimed.

Granny and Henry giggled at her statement, before Granny went back to get their orders.

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Henry and Ariel rounded the corner to his school and found Snow walking in.

"Hey Grandma." Henry exclaimed.

"Hey sweetie." She said, ruffling his hair.

"See ya later sis!" Henry exclaimed before he ran inside.

"Later sweetie." Ariel answered, smiling at the title.

"He's in a much better mood." Snow observed.

"Yeah, how's Emma?" Ariel asked.

"OK I guess. She decided she will go to the station to get her mind off of things, so I'm guessing she'll interrogate you if you go there to talk to David. He's there giving her back the reins."

"Well, she'll have to wait till Henry gets back from school. He wants to talk to both her and mom."

"Is he ok?"

"Yeah, he just feels guilty mostly."

Snow cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"For how he treated mom." Ariel explained.

"So when Emma told him that she lied, he felt like a hypocrite." Snow realized.

"Exactly. Took some convincing but I guess he understands now; but I think a talk with both mom and Emma will be good."

"Yeah, I think so too." Snow said, before she turned her head in the school's direction when she heard the bell ring.

"I have to go; class is about to start. I'll see you at home."

"Yeah, I'll swing by the station to talk to David and Emma before I crawl into mom's arms and go to sleep."

"Mom is not at home; she's at the office."

"She didn't sleep all night; why is she in the office? I get why Emma is keeping busy, but not her." Ariel was a bit confused at her mother's behavior; which only deepened when Snow looked a bit nervous.

"Is there something I should know?" she added.

"She's been acting a bit strange all morning; she seems distraught and has a weird look on her face. And she spaces out a lot."

"Yeah, I noticed. I'll swing by the office and talk to her."

"Alright; I'll see you at home." Snow said, squeezing her hand before she ran inside the school.

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Ariel was walking down the streets racking her brain, trying to figure out a reason why her mother would be acting weird. She understands why she didn't sleep all night; after all her daughter was sleeping in the woods with a werewolf next to her. Said child is the one she thought was dead for the most part of her life. But why would she act weird?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by somebody's hand on her shoulder and her name being called.

"Killian!"

"Hey, are you alright? I called your name a hundred times and you didn't answer me." He asked, and she felt her heart melt at the concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I was just thinking." She answered.

"Everything alright?" his concern wasn't deterred.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She smiled reassuringly.

"How did it go last night?" he asked.

Ariel giggled, having answered that question a million times over.

"Great, she didn't turn."

Hook's heart fluttered at the sound of her laughter and the gleam in her eyes. Ariel noticed the look in his eyes, "Killian, stop looking at me like that." She said, although she didn't sound like she _really _wanted him to stop.

"I can't help it. I love you and you know it." He gently told her, as he pushed some of her hair out of her face. He was delighted when she didn't pull away from his touch, or even glare at him.

"I told you; I need actions not words." She told him sternly.

"And I will give you both. And as I understand, in this world one must take the woman he loves out on a date; so how about tomorrow night? I know you will probably spend the rest of the day sleeping." He asked her.

Ariel's mind went numb at his question; she tried to come up with an excuse to say no, but it appears both her brain and her heart betrayed her. They were both screaming at her to say yes.

"Come on Ariel, please. It's just dinner, and we can talk. I miss you." He gently pleaded; and whatever resolve she had, not that much to begin with mind you, was out the window.

"Ok." She whispered.

His face broke into a huge smile, "Thank you. I'll pick you up at 7" he said.

She opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by an angry voice from behind her.

"YOU!"

She whipped her head around to find Rumpelstiltskin standing there glaring at them both; and she instantly knew that this will end up being a standoff.

"What do you want?" Hook asked, glaring back at him.

Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, "Oh you've got some nerve asking me that after what you did."

"What I did?! You ripped your wife's heart out!" Hook retaliated.

"Yes. She deserved it; and you deserved to know the pain I felt when you stole her." He seethed.

"I didn't steel her; she wanted to come with us. She begged me to take her along; and told me to challenge you to a sword fight knowing that you will refuse." Hook shot back.

"Yes, and then you two got your happy ending." he said through gritted teeth.

"What happy ending? I was never in love with her; she fell for me but I didn't return the feeling. But she begged me to play along so you would leave her alone." Hook informed him, and watched as shock covered Rumple's face.

"You're lying." He accused, although his voice held way less confidence. Ariel and Hook noticed that his cane was shaking slightly and realized that his resolve was faltering.

"No I'm not. I would never fall in love with a married woman. But when I saw how desperate she was, I did what she asked. She left and you let her go." Hook told him.

Rumple kept staring at him for a long moment trying to determine if he was lying or not. He desperately wanted to believe that he was; but he couldn't deny the sincerity he saw in his eyes. And looking back at that day, he remembered seeing love in Milah's eyes but not Killian's.

"Then why are you here?" he finally asked.

"Well I wanted revenge on you for my hand; but then someone pointed out how ridiculous it was. But I wasn't going to stay back there with Cora around." Hook told him; he avoided telling him the real reason he was here. He came because he wanted to be with Ariel, but he kept her name out of it so that Rumple doesn't rip _her _heart out in revenge. He knew she was a mighty witch, but he figured he'd let her fight one dark force at a time.

Rumple knew that Hook was hiding something; and noticing the way Ariel was standing next to him, and how his hand….err…hook went around her and rested on the small of her back, it dawned on him.

"My, my, my. Our little mermaid is in love with a pirate." He stated.

Ariel had noticed the recognition in his eyes, so she wasn't surprised at his statement. And it seemed that when she didn't react as he expected, it irritated him more, so she smirked.

"Do you have a problem with that?" she asked.

"No, but again why would I? Tell me dearie, how does mommy feel about that?" he snickered.

"That would be none of your business. Now if you will excuse us, we have places we need to be." She shot back.

"Before you go." He called, and they stopped in their tracks and turned around.

She looked at him impatiently, and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when all he did was wave his hand.

Hook suddenly felt something strange, and Ariel felt a change in the sensation coming from the small of her back. They both looked; and their eyebrows hit their hair lines when instead of the usual hook, they found his hand.

Ariel whipped her head back and looked at Rumple, "What's your price?" she asked.

"Oh no dearie. You don't owe me anything, he does." He said, pointing to Hook, "but I will save that for a rainy day." He added.

"Thank you." Hook said sincerely.

Rumple was taken aback by his statement, and didn't know how to reply. So he just nodded, before he turned around and left.

Hook kept staring at his hand and moving it around, afraid that at any minute it will go away; Ariel had a huge grin on her face.

"I can't believe this." He finally exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice.

"Neither do I; but I'm a little worried about what he will ask for a price." Ariel said.

"As long as it's me I don't care." He sincerely told her; and smiled back at her.

"Let's go. I need to get to the station before I swing by mom's office and drag her home." She told him.

"Good, I need to get there too."

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**Hope you all enjoy it and please let me know what you think. I will update as soon as I can.**


	26. Mama Bear Papa Bear

**To Jason, now I know how my daughter feels when I scold her :D I felt like a child caught with my hand down the cookie jar :D and yes I know I was crying too. And I try as much as possible to take my reviewers suggestions into consideration; if they can be put in the story I am more than happy to oblige, so feel free to suggest all you want and I will see what I can do about them. Thank you for the reviews and the support :D.**

**To carriemarrie78, I remember a time when I was 16 :D enjoys it as much as you can. And don't worry David will be going all papa bear on Hook very soon.**

**To Aby, no worries my dear I will ease your mind in no time. And the test went great actually, thanks for asking. #Evil Regal :D.**

**To Maddy, I see you are a new comer, welcome; and glad you are hypnotized. Many people will try to play on Regina's evil side but they won't get the reaction they hope for. I'm a sucker for Regina when she's good but with the dangerous air about her so I'm keeping it :D. Always happy to receive suggestions so feel free to let me know what's on your mind.**

**To Gizela, someone's getting greedy :D. Keep in mind that I fast forwarded 3 weeks between Regina finding out about Ariel and when she finally had her in her arms; so those weeks are when she changed. She had more than enough time to allow herself to turn back, and with the help of Henry and David it wasn't that hard. But no worries, it's still an ongoing struggle especially with Gold and her mother. And you will find out what's on Regina's mind, as well as Ariel's. Patience my dear :D**

**To babygirlminds, yes she will. And that is all I will say :D.**

**To Percybeth4ever, I will try to meet as many of those suggestions as the story allows. Thanks for the suggestion and hope you enjoy it.**

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Ariel and Hook walked into the station and found Emma, August and David there. David's expression hardened and he glared at Hook. Hook took an instinctive step back when David stood up from the desk he was leaning on, and Ariel had to stifle a giggle. Emma and August were both looking at the silent interaction, with amused smiles on their faces.

"How did it go with Henry?" Emma finally decided to save Hook; though she was doing it more out of concern for her son. Her voice was still concerned but one could easily detect the amusement at the situation as well.

"Well, you're in the bad books but not as bad as you think." Ariel told her; walking further into the station.

"How bad is it?" she asked again.

"He's more angry with himself than he is with you." Emma's eyebrows traveled up her forehead from the surprise at the last statement.

"What possible reason does he have for that?" she incredulously asked.

"The way he treated mom; he thinks that this means he's a hypocrite. Look it is a very very long story; one that I think you should hear from him. He wants to talk to both you and mom when he's home after school so I strongly suggest you go back home and get some sleep; cause it's gonna be a long day." Ariel said in one breath.

Emma's mouth opened and closed a few times, in an effort to say something but she failed.

"Sweetheart, you haven't slept all night. Go home and get some sleep, and I will take care of things today and you can come back whenever you want." David gently told her; softening his features at her before he returned to glaring at Hook.

Emma and Ariel shared a knowing look and both fought hard not to burst out laughing.

"Dad, are you sure?" Emma asked.

David felt butterflies in his stomach; he savored the title that she gave him so naturally. He guessed that this will be the case every time she calls him 'Dad' for a very long time.

"Yeah, of course I'm sure. Go home and get some rest sweetheart." He told her gently; a warm and loving smile gracing his lips.

"Thanks." She said getting up from her chair, and leaned forward giving him a peck on the cheek. David's breath was knocked out of his lungs at the gesture and he froze. Emma had turned away so quickly; that she missed the look on his face. She noted that Ariel had a weird smile on her face; but before she could contemplate the idea any further, something else caught her eye.

"Hook what the hell happened to your….hook?" Emma asked; and David and August immediately moved to take a look at Hook's hand that was hidden from them by Ariel's body.

David immediately started glaring at him again, while August just stared at him in shock.

"Rumplestiltskin gave it back. We met him on our way here and…." He was interrupted by David's voice.

"You _asked _him for it?!" David accused.

"_NO_! He gave it back on his own accord. We were talking and glaring at each other when he waved his hand and my hand was back." Hook answered slowly, as if explaining something to a child.

"What the hell is the price?" David's resolve was starting to betray him.

"I don't know." Hook answered him truthfully; though his tone was a bit frustrated.

"Excuse me?!"

August, Ariel and Emma were standing there watching the interaction with amused smiles on their faces. Ariel knew that she can step in and save Hook from David; but since she was enjoying it she decided against it. And besides, if he can't handle the heat _before _he dates her, what the hell is he gonna do _after_?

"Look, I didn't ask him for anything; he did it on his own accord. And when I asked about his price, he said that now I owe him a favor." Hook's patience was running thin as well.

"Great. And how do you know that he will make _you _pay and not somebody else?" David asked coyly referring to Ariel.

Hook understood the hidden message, "Because he specified it. He said that _I _owe him a favor."

August finally decided to save Hook, "We need to get going to take over the watch on the beach. Call us if you need anything." He said, walking towards Hook and patting him on the shoulder, "Congratulations on your hand." He added.

"Thank you." Hook answered him smiling; and Emma immediately understood what Ariel saw in him. She was no fool; she knew that Ariel loved him and that he loved her. But she was still trying to figure out why there weren't married by now.

August gave Ariel a kiss on the cheek before he and Hook walked out of the station.

"Well, I'm gonna head home and get some sleep. And by the way; Regina went to the office. She's been acting weird all morning, so swing by before you head home and try to bring her home. She didn't sleep at all last night." Emma stated.

"Yeah, I know. Snow told me and I noticed it too; I won't leave city hall without her." She assured.

"Alright; see you guys at home." And with that Emma left; leaving Ariel and David alone in the station.

Ariel waited till her sensitive wolf ears picked up the sound of Emma's bug driving away.

"You said you wanted to talk." David started.

"Yeah I do." She seemed to be in some sort of a daze.

"Everything alright?" he asked, looking concern.

"I'm not sure." she said, as she walked over and leaned on the desk opposite his.

David was watching her warily; he knew something was up and he saw how exhausted she was.

"First of all; thank you for punching Hook when we got here. I know that it was over what happened in Neverland, not Cora. But I just want you to know that he _really_ didn't know what was going to happen and he fed them to the sharks."

David nodded at her, "No problem; I will do it again if I have to." He told her, and she giggled at his protectiveness.

"I know that too, and thank you." She smiled gratefully at him.

David sat there mesmerized by her; she always acted so mature and responsible that one could easily forget that she is after all 20 years old. But when he saw the look in her eyes; a grateful one, for what he did to Hook on her behalf, he couldn't help but feel like he wants to wrap her in cotton. She was so young and right now; so vulnerable as well. He had half a mind to go feed Hook to the sharks for leaving her on the ship unprotected that day. But then he decided that he will keep the sharks hungry so they can feast on the person who got the ball rolling in the first place; Cora. Little did he know that his need to kill Hook will increase a hundred fold in a few moments.

"No need to think me Ariel; you're Snow's sister and oddly enough Henry's too." He chuckled, and his heart warmed a bit at her laugh. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that this sweet, loving girl was the one who held the key to saving Regina all along; not to mention that she will have to stand up to Cora if she finds a way back here.

She smiled gratefully at him, "Anyways, that's not why I'm really here."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, I'm here about King George." She carefully monitored his reaction.

David could feel his blood start to boil at the mention of this man's name, "What about him?" his voice resentful.

"He was in the woods last night." Ariel declared.

"What?!" he got up from his lean against the desk. He could feel his worry and anger getting worse, "what the hell did he do?" he seethed.

"Nothing. He didn't even come anywhere us; and he doesn't know that we knew he was there. Red and I acted normal and didn't let on. But he was definitely there; we picked up his smell and the sound of his footsteps."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" he reprimanded slightly.

"Because I don't want Emma, Snow and mom to find out; they'll freak out. Look, I'm not here because I'm worried about myself; I am more than capable of protecting myself. And since he's a mortal; I know you 4 can hold your own against him too. Problem is; I know that he knows all that too, so he might go after the one person that can't. The only stone that can hit 5 birds at once."

"Henry!" he exclaimed.

"Exactly; he will get all that he wants with one blow."

"I'll have Mulan and August take opposite shifts at the beach and border so they can…" his planning was interrupted by Ariel.

"No, that would be too obvious. I was thinking to have Ruby tail him; it will be easier for her and she can lay low. I don't want Emma, Snow and Mom to know; and of course Henry. August and Mulan will be too obvious but Ruby can do it from a distance. She knows how to use a cross bow and I think I can teach her how to turn into a wolf on command."

"How? I thought it was only the full moon."

"No, the full moon turns her against her will. But since she can control that, I think I might be able to get her to change on command; kind of like I do with the mermaid half. I will try to spend as much time with Henry as I can; walk him to school and take him to the stables and such. No one will suspect anything; since I'm his sister and I'm the daughter of a stable boy so they'll assume I'm teaching him how to ride properly. And Ruby can watch him when none of us can keep an eye on him; I still need to try to break the spell on the boarder; as well as restore Sneezy's memories. Not to mention, teaching you all how to fight magic with a sword."

"You can do that?" he asked surprised.

"Yeah, it will take time; a long time, but hopefully you guys will at least be able to hold your end if God forbids she attacks when I'm not around; or if Rumplestiltskin gave it a shot."

"Alright; that sounds like a plan. I'll pick him up from school today since I know Ruby won't wake up anytime this morning. And you need to sleep too."

"Yeah, I need to swing by mom's office first." She exhaled loudly.

"Watch out for him Ariel. He's dangerous; always keep your ears and nose on alert."

Ariel smiled at his concern, "I know, don't worry."

"That is impossible to happen." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. And on a happier note; Hook asked me out on a date tomorrow night and I said yes." She said, grinning broadly at his fallen face.

"Exactly how is that a happier note?" he asked; and she giggled at the angry tone.

"Cause the look on your face is priceless." She said between giggles.

"Why the hell would you say yes?" he incredulously asked.

"Because I love him."

David was taken aback by her statement.

"Look, I love him. In all those years I blamed him for what happened I never managed to bring myself to hate him. And he wasn't to blame for what happened; and it was a really long time ago. I need to let it go and move past it; and I miss him. It's just dinner and we're taking it slow; see how it goes."

David huffed, "Yeah, I know all that. But I don't have to like it." He declared.

Ariel giggled at his protectiveness, "Well just say thank you for giving you enough time to think of your threatening speech." She cheekily smiled at him.

"Oh, I already have that in order." He stated simply.

She laughed whole-heartily at his behavior.

"I'll see you at home." She told him, as she turned around and left the station.

David waited till she left before he allowed a smile to grace his stern features that he held while she talked about her date with Hook. He was happy that she was finally letting go and just enjoying her life. He chuckled as he pictured Regina's reaction to the news.

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Regina sat at her desk, staring at the piece of paper in her hand. She hated paperwork; it was not a fun part of being Mayor. And more importantly; she hated paperwork when running on zero sleep and a preoccupied mind. She tried shaking her head several times to clear her mind of the thoughts, but failed. She couldn't get her daughter's words out of her head; she knew her daughter didn't mean to hurt her but her words cut through her heart like a million daggers.

She dropped the piece of paper in her hand, and turned around in her chair to look out of the window. She sighed as she started rubbing her temple in an attempt to relief the headache, but no avail. She heard noises from outside her office; and she recognized one of the voices as belonging to the last person she wants to see right now; on this earth and any other lands that may exist.

She heard her office door swing open, "Good morning, Dearie." His smug voice came resonating through her office. She groaned quietly before she turned around to face him, "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, I figured I swing by so we can talk in privacy; without the protectiveness of that daughter of yours." He replied; and Regina's blood boiled.

"You stay away from her; one hair out of its place because of you and I will become your worst nightmare." She threatened dangerously.

"Careful there, _your majesty. _I think I see the Evil Queen starting to make an appearance again." He taunted.

"When it comes to my family; you know as well as I that the Evil Queen will be nothing compared to what I will become." She hissed, matching his glare.

"Now;WHAT DO YOU WANT ?" she seethed.

"Well dearie, you still owe me for saving the life of that little girl of yours."

"Excuse me?" Regina was baffled.

"I saved her life; I did you a favor. So now it is time you pay up." He said in a low intimidating voice.

"I owe you nothing! You kept her away from me so that I would become the monster who will be desperate and dark enough to enact the curse." She held her ground.

"I enacted the curse and kept my end of the deal and made you powerful. So not only are we clear; but you actually owe me, but I'll let it slide. Now, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE." She growled.

"You might wanna tell your little girl to watch her back; Hook owes me for his hand and there is no telling when and how I will collect." He threatened, and smirked as he saw the blood drain from her face.

"Stay away from her." She warned; trying to hide her confusion over what he meant by 'Hook owes me for his hand'.

Rumpelstiltskin noticed her confusion and laughed smugly at her, "Oh I see that she's already keeping secrets from you. I bumped into her and our favorite pirate in the street, and they were all…..chummy." he taunted; before he turned around and left.

Regina tried hard to keep the suspicion that her daughter was hiding something from her out of her eyes and face; but with Ariel's earlier statements echoing in her head, she found it very difficult to quench the fear and pain.

She had no idea how long she sat there lost in her own thoughts, when a knock on the door brought her back to earth.

"Come in." her voice was a little hoarse, and she cleared her throat to get rid of the lump that was in it.

The door swung open, "Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the craziest of them all?!" Ariel's slightly scolding voice came from the door; though she had a huge smile on her very exhausted-looking face.

Regina couldn't help the broad smile that threatened to split her face in half, as she watched her daughter walk towards her.

"Oh don't think that a smile will get you out of it." Her daughter said, narrowing her eyes playfully at her mother.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that _I _was the mother, and that I'm supposed to scold _you_. Not the other way around." She said through her giggles.

"Hmmm, true. But when the _mother _decides to forgo all logic and reason; the _daughter_ is supposed to set her straight." Ariel answered her; and even though she saw the happiness in her mother's eyes, she also saw something else. But she couldn't place it, something was bothering her mother.

"Well I had work to do, so…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes, I know. And as interesting as this all seems, you didn't get any sleep last night. And I highly doubt that one day without you will cause the town to crash and burn. They lived without you for two weeks before."

"Yes, but it all fell on my head when I came back to mountains of paperwork."

"Well one day won't do that much harm. Especially that when you work while exhausted and absent minded, you won't accomplish much."

"I'm not absent minded; just exhausted." Regina was quick to correct her.

"That's not true; something's been on your mind since this morning. Even Snow and Emma noticed it; you have a weird look on your face and in your eyes, you seem distraught and you space out a lot." Ariel said, as she walked behind her mother and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, resting her head against her mother's.

Regina basked in the warmth of her daughter's embrace. She leaned into it and allowed her daughter to gently rock her in the chair.

"What's bothering you mom?" Ariel whispered gently.

Regina closed her eyes at the concern and love her daughter was radiating; it baffled her how can she possibly care this much after what she said this morning.

"Mommy" her daughter's voice brought her out of her own head, and she smiled at the title.

"Yes baby." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she tightened her hold on her daughter's hands when she felt her squeeze her.

"What's bothering you?" Ariel asked again, and Regina couldn't deny the sincere concern in her voice.

"Well, I know it's silly because it's understandable and expected, but…." Regina trailed off.

She felt Ariel releasing her hold on her, and she instantly missed the warmth. Ariel moved around her and kneeled in front of her, taking her hands into hers.

"What is?"

Regina let out a long sigh before she answered her daughter, "Your reaction to finding out you were mine."

Ariel's brows furrowed in confusion, "Mom I haven't slept all night, so I'm a little slow."

"This morning you said that you didn't talk to Triton and Athena for three weeks after they told you that you were mine; and that you understood Henry's anger when he learned the truth about his dad." Regina explained, feeling her throat starting to clamp up and the tears pricking the side of her eyes.

Ariel kept looking at her mother, failing to see the connection between what she said and the state her mother was in, "So?"

"I know I should have expected it, but it's not easy hearing your daughter say that she was mad she was yours." Regina told her, as tears fell down her cheeks; against her will.

Ariel's eyes widened in horror; when she heard how her words sounded to her mother.

"Wait, you think that I got mad because I was yours?" she asked in disbelief; and Regina's tears gave her the answer.

Regina mentally kicked herself for the look of pure pain and guilt that crossed her daughter's face.

"Mom, that's not what I meant. I got mad at them, not mad at you or mad that I was yours." Ariel assured her.

"Sweetheart it's understandable; I was the Evil Queen. I wouldn't have wanted to be my own daughter at the time." she gently assured her daughter, and she meant it. But that didn't seem to help; somehow the pain and guilt seemed to get worse.

"No, mom." Ariel shook her head and swallowed back the tears, "I got mad because they lied to me. I always knew that I was adopted but they told me that my mother gave me up; and when I got older and they starting teaching me how to use my powers and about magic, it wasn't hard to piece together how I came to be in the sea. I thought that my mother gave me up to Rumpelstiltskin over some kind of deal; that she basically sold me. That's why I never bothered to ask who she was. They always told me stories of what Cora did and the consequences it had on you and the rest of the land. I related to you; even before I knew I was yours. Mom always said that she thought it was because of a part of me always knew the truth. I spent nights wishing that I _was_ yours so that I can give you your life back, give you something to believe in again; and I never told anyone that because I was confused. I thought it meant that I was a bad daughter; that somehow I'm betraying Athena. And I spent countless nights comparing between you and my mysterious mother. How she gave her baby away, when you lost yours. Yes, mom always told me that I was given up for my own good. But given up is one thing and sold is another. That's why I was angry; because they lied, NOT because I was yours."

Regina was stunned into silence at her daughter's words; her tears were flowing heavily now but she was smiling nonetheless.

"Mom when they told me the truth, you hadn't become the Evil Queen yet. That's how I never lost faith in you. I knew who you _really _were underneath all the anger. I was also mad that they never even tried to let you know that I'm alive. You could've left me in the sea to protect me from Cora; but at least you'd know the truth." Ariel's voice was choked but gentle, loving and warm nonetheless. And no one could deny the sincerity.

Regina untangled one of her hands from her daughter's and cupped her cheeks, gently wiping the tears with her thumb. A soft sob escaped her lips when she leaned into her hand and kissed the inside of her palm; the same way her father used to.

"I'm sorry that it sounded like I got mad because I was yours; that's not what I meant at all. But it appears my brain doesn't function all that well when it comes to hidden messages when I'm running on no sleep."

"It's alright baby." Regina genuinely assured her daughter, smiling tearfully at her.

Ariel pulled herself up a bit and hugged her mother tight, burying her face into her hair. Regina held her daughter tightly and tangled her fingers in her hair gently. They held on for a few more minutes before they finally let go. Regina still had her arms around her daughter though, and her heart melted at the amount of love she saw in her eyes. She never thought that anyone would look at her like that again. And the more she looked at her daughter, the more she reminded her of her father.

"Come on, let's go home and get some sleep." Ariel gently said, as she wiped her mother's tears.

"Okay." Regina smiled back at her.

Ariel got up and pulled her mother off the chair, and started steering her in the direction of the door. Regina started laughing at her daughter's behavior, especially when she swooped her purse off the couch.

"Oh and by the way, Hook asked me out on a date and I said yes." Ariel said, already grinning; knowing fully how her mother was going to react.

Regina stopped dead in her tracks and rounded on her daughter.

"Please tell me that this is some cruel joke." She told her.

"Nop." Ariel giggled.

"Ariel…"her mother sighed.

"Look, I understand your concern and so does he. It is just dinner and we're taking it slow." Ariel calmly explained, a smile playing on her lips.

Regina kept looking at her daughter, and seeing the smile she had on; she realized that she can't say no.

"Fine. But one mistake and he's toast!" she threatened.

"I have no doubt."

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**A long chapter for you pleasure, and there's a chance there will be no more chapters till Monday. But I'll see if I can slip in one tomorrow after work. Let me know what you all think.**


	27. What Lies Beneath The Dark

**To Jason, when I started this fic I originally intended it to be 20 chapters! And then when I was close to 20 and there were still way too many things to round up, I decided that they were gonna be 30! But right now, I have absolutely no idea when it will end; I know how, but not when. So you're in the clear for now :D. As for George and Rumple; yes they are both dangerous and they will be troublesome as well! Glad you enjoyed the chapter and hope you enjoy this one as well.**

**To Diejj, I tried to get this chapter in before Monday…but I'm afraid I was unable. I hope I'm forgiven :D.**

**To rickmantic, glad that I was able to break your rule. :D cant wait for your reviews.**

**To Percybeth4ever, thank you for the confidence. Glad I can live up to your expectations :D**

**To carriemarrie78, this is as soon as it gets :D.**

**To Kcrane, haven't heard from you in a while. Yes I am trying to plan their date too :D.**

**To maddy, the story is about family and comfort so touchy feely is part of the deal. Rumple will play on Regina's evil side, same for King George but I don't think she will cave in. Rumple's part will be more about collecting rather than making new deals. Hope you enjoy the story and looking forward to your reviews. **

**To Erin, I'm glad you liked it, and that I broke your rule about not reading fanfics. There were a few words missing from the review that made the last sentence hard to understand. Cant wait for more reviews from you and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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Since Regina was already half asleep when she left for work in the morning, she had decided to walk to wake herself up. A decision she very much regrets right now, since she has to walk back home. The only thing that made it better; was that she had her daughter by her side. Said daughter had her head resting on her shoulder and her arm linked through hers as they walked. They've been walking in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying each other's company and presence.

"How did it go with Henry?" Regina finally broke the silence; instantly regretting it as her daughter lifted her head from her shoulder.

"Well, he's mad at Emma; but more at himself." Ariel answered her.

Regina looked at her daughter, confusion evident on her face, "Why?"

Ariel sighed; she knew that if she told her mother why Henry is mad at himself that she wont get any sleep.

"I think you should hear it from him." She suggested; hoping that her mother was going to leave it at that, "He wants to talk to you and Emma." She added.

"Alright."

"Don't worry he's fine; it took some convincing but he's in a much better mood now. He just wants to talk." Ariel assured her mother; noticing the worried tone in her voice.

Regina nodded and smiled at her daughter. She kissed her head when she rested it on her shoulder again. She closed her eyes with her mouth and nose still buried in her hair; she couldn't help but bask in everything her daughter does. She spent her whole life without her; and now she has her.

Ariel's mind was also busy; she couldn't believe how her words sounded to her mother. She thought she got angry for being hers?! She knew that Cora basically destroyed Regina's self-esteem on every possible occasion; that the Evil Queen was just the scarecrow exterior; but was it really so bad that she would believe her own daughter didn't want to be hers?! Moreover; that she actually thinks that it is understandable and expected! She could feel her anger starting to bubble up but she pushed it back down and decided to just enjoy her mother's company. She rested her head onto her shoulder; she didn't miss the look on her mother's face when she lifted it while they talked about Henry. Nor is she missing the fact that her mother has had her nose and mouth buried in her hair for the past few minutes either; but she didn't care. She loved her mother's touch; it comforted her. She loved Athena with all her heart, but it was different with Regina. All her life she related to Regina when her parents told her the stories about her; she spent nights wishing that she _is _her daughter; woke up screaming time and time again from nightmares that didn't make any sense. A woman screaming because her baby was dead. Athena always told her that she was just imagining the scene when Regina gave birth because of her over active imagination; but it never convinced her because they were so vivid. Later on; when she found out the truth, she realized that they were memories.

Suddenly something caught her attention; both her magical and wolf ones. She lifted her head from her mom's shoulder and looked in a certain direction.

Regina was walking with her head resting on her daughter's when she suddenly felt Ariel lift her head and stop walking. She looked at her and noticed the look on her face, "Ariel?"

Ariel vaguely registered her mother calling her, but she was trying to focus her senses. She let go of her mother's arm and started heading towards a parked car.

Regina was baffled by her daughter's behavior, "Ariel, what's wrong?" she asked her.

"Mom, call David and tell him to come over." Ariel absent mindedly answered.

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David pulled up in the police car, and found Ariel leaning against a car with Regina standing in front of her. Regina turned around at the sound of the car skidding to a halt behind her, and he saw what she was carrying.

"You tracked the hood already?" he asked as he got out of the car.

"No I didn't. We were walking on our way home when I sensed it and picked up Red's smell." Ariel answered him. David narrowed his eyes at the tone of her voice; she still had more and he wasn't going to like it, and by the looks of it neither did she.

"I also picked up another _stench_ from the car; especially when I got closer." She continued, giving him a pointed and meaningful look.

"King George." He realized.

Ariel just gave him a forced smile, and handed him a piece of paper that was in her hand. He looked down and saw that it was the car's registration. He looked over at the car and saw no signs of forced entry, "Uh, how did you get this?" confusion evident in his voice.

Ariel smiled genuinely this time, "I'm a witch David. I don't need to break the window to get it; I didn't even have to open the trunk to get the hood. All I have to do when I know where it is, is will for the object to be in my hand and it will appear." She finished, outstretching her palm and his phone appeared in it. David shot her a disapproving look, to which she returned with a cheeky smile.

Regina was lost inside her own head trying to figure out George's playbook. Why would he steal the hood? What does he want from Ruby? He has a vendetta against David, Snow and herself; where does Ruby fit into all of this?

She is startled out of her thoughts by Ariel's yell, "MOM!"

"Yes, sorry I was thinking. This doesn't make sense, why would he take Ruby's hood?"

"He was hoping she would turn and hurt someone; give him reason to wrestle the power from me. Turn the people against me, against us and take it back." David explained.

"No, something doesn't add up. She didn't hurt anyone during the last full moon; and now with Ariel here…" she trailed off as she noticed the look that clouded Ariel and David's faces; and the look they shared. She kept shifting her eyes suspiciously between them, "What?" she asked.

"This isn't just about power; it's about families. Destroying families to be exact." Ariel started.

"No one knew that Ariel was the one who created the hood; but they all knew she was a witch. So if the hood disappeared she would've offered to help with Ruby to make sure that she doesn't hurt anyone or herself." David continued, "I never told the town's people _exactly _how powerful Ariel is."

"He was banking on me failing. That I wont be able to stop her and…." Ariel trailed.

"And she would kill you." Regina finished her sentence, horrified.

"Exactly; I was wrong before. He was after the 2 stones that can hit 4 people." Ariel stated, giving David a meaningful look.

"You and Henry!" David declared.

"What do you mean you were wrong before?" Regina asked; already sensing that she wont like the answer.

"Red and I picked up his scent last night in the woods. I told David about it; but I thought he was there to spy on me and Red talking and might get something that would help in his plans. I thought he was just after Henry; knowing that he cant get to any of the rest. But now it's clear that he was waiting in the hopes that she would turn and he gets to watch me get eaten." Ariel explained; knowing fully that her mother was going to kill her for not telling her sooner. But it seemed that Regina was more concerned with George being after Henry.

"But when Ruby didn't turn; he realized how powerful you are. And now he's after the one person who cant defend himself and the one who will destroy us all." Regina finished in horror.

"Exactly. He still doesn't know that I created the hood, so he doesn't know that I can track it. He doesn't know that I'm part wolf, so he doesn't know that I can pick up smells." Ariel said.

"I'll call Snow and tell her not to let Henry leave her eyesight; and I'm going to pick them both up from school. As soon as Ruby wakes up, I'll tell her that she is to follow Henry at all times if he's not with one of us." David said, reaching into his pocket to get the phone; "May I have my phone please?" he chuckled at Ariel, who still had his phone; when she smiled sweetly at him as she handed it over.

"You two go home and get some rest; it appears that there is more trouble to deal with than Cora, and you two are the only ones with magic. So no more functioning without sleep; we need you as sharp and powerful as ever." He said, as he listened to the ringing on the phone.

Ariel and Regina chuckled, nodded and turned around to leave. They hadn't walked a few steps away from David when they heard him yell into the phone, "What do you mean they're not there?"

They both turned around and saw David's face completely drained from blood. He removed his phone from his ear and looked at them, "Snow and Henry aren't at school."

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**Yes I know. Short chapter and evil cliffhanger but I promised you guys a chapter on Monday, so here it is and I will try to update again tonight. Let me know what you all think.**


	28. Evil Eyes Look Unto Thee

**To Diejj, thank you hun. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and will enjoy this one. Always love getting your reviews.**

**To Jason, no it doesn't sound good does it? *evil smile* hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**To carriemarrie8, yeah I heard that rumor too but we'll have to wait and see how they do it and if I can use it or not.**

**To Percybeth4ever, yay thank you. :D Happy Thanksgiving to you too and yes I am posting so you can be thankful for that too :D**

**To Barbara Montgomery, I'm glad you love and enjoy it that much. And it looks like you will get your wish of 50 chapters :D keep praying that inspiration hits :D**

**To Gizela, I know what you mean. Don't worry I know that technically it's not possible but hey this entire show is basically about challenging everything. Glad you liked it hun and yes time froze in Atlantica too when the curse was cast so Ariel froze at the age of 20.**

**To katward00, I love it too. Glad you liked it.**

**To rickmantic, I know what you mean; I was watching a sneak peak and I was like "NO Ariel!" when I saw Regina all alone. And of course her motherly senses are tingling for Henry; she raised him and like she already told him he's her son no matter what. Hope you enjoy the story where Ariel actually exists :D**

**To all, sorry for the wait but things were crazy. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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"What do you mean they're not at school?! Where are they?!" Regina almost yelled at David. Her panic and anger; knowing that she won't like what is about to be said, getting the best of her.

"The principle said that you called Snow on his office phone and said that Ariel got into an accident, and that you sent someone to get both her and Henry." He explained, "The man he described who picked them up sounds like one of King George's trusted guards. And the principle said that the person on the other line sounded enough like you to fool Snow" he added, as he started dialing another number.

"Who are you calling?" Ariel asked.

"Emma; see if either of them is at the house" he said, as he put his phone to his ear. Ariel jumped and took the phone away and closed it, "Don't call her; if they're not there she'll freak out. And we have enough people freaking out as it is." She explained to his questioning glare.

"Well we need to know if they're there." He almost yelled.

"I know. I'll go and see." She calmly explained; before smoking out. She returned less than 2 minutes later, "They're nowhere in or around the house. I didn't smell them in it at all; and judging by how faint the smell is, they haven't been there since this morning."

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Rumpelstiltskin was in his pawn shop preparing a picnic basket, when the door swung open and a very angry looking Sheriff and Mayor walked in.

"It seems you two always like to make an entrance"

He suddenly found himself flying backwards and held against the wall behind him by the various things that hang there; that were magically transformed into restraints by Regina.

"My, my dearie. It seems that old habits die hard; glad to see you again." He taunted, trying to break from the restraints. His brows furrowed in confusion when he found himself incapable of moving or even disappearing.

"DON'T TRY TO BREAK OUT OF THIS. WHERE THE HELL ARE MY SON AND DAUGHTER?!" Regina's threatening voice stopped any further attempts on his part.

"What makes you think I know?" he taunted.

"Someone called the school; someone who sounded enough like me to fool Snow and told her that Ariel is in the hospital. And now both Henry and Snow are missing; so I will ask again, WHERE ARE THEY?" she hissed.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I didn't call Snow and I certainly DID NOT hurt Henry. You know I never harm a child; your little girl is living proof." He retaliated; instantly regretting the punch he delivered to the queen.

Regina's already flaring anger skyrocketed at his words; and before she knew it, her hand was inside his chest. She knew she couldn't rip his heart out because of his magic, but it still hurt like hell.

David watched in shock as Regina plunged her hand into Rumple's chest; he had half a mind to go stop her but he knew that this may be the only way to find out how George tricked Snow.

"There is only one person other than myself, who can create a potion to mask one's voice into another. Why did you give it to him? And where did he take them?" she seethed.

"I….gave…..it….to….him….back…in….our…land." Rumple stuttered, as he fought for breath.

"What?!" Regina and David both sounded confused. Regina pulled her hand out, so he can talk properly.

"He's had that potion since our land" he panted. Before anybody said anything; David's phone rang.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Hey it's me." Ariel's voice came through the phone.

"Hold on, I'll put you on speaker phone." David said, as he removed the phone away from his ear and turned on the speaker phone.

"I'm at the marina. I followed both their scents all the way here; even George's smell is here too. But his moves again; theirs stop here. There is no one around who I can ask if they have seen anything." Ariel explained.

"Ariel, can you see a small yacht with the name of Spencer on the back?" Rumple's chocked voice came; Regina still had him held against the wall.

"No, there's an empty place."

"He put them on a boat? Why?" David thought out loud.

Regina walked over to a map that was spread on a countertop; before her eyes widened in horrified realization.

"The border; the water crosses the border. If someone drove that boat out; they'll revert to their cursed identities." Regina almost frantically explained.

"But Henry was never affected by the curse; and he left before to get Emma. How come he is with Snow on the boat?" David asked.

"Because he's the one who will drive the boat." Rumple said.

Regina released him from the wall; and he stumbled to the floor, coughing and trying to regain his balance. Regina's outburst had caught him off guard and he wasn't prepared for it; and it seemed like when she was doing things for revenge is A LOT different than when she's doing it for her children. He couldn't break out of her hold; 'hell hath no fury like that of an angry mother' he thought; a bit bitterly that his own wife never had that kind of love towards her son. That even the Evil Queen was a better mother and parent to her children than he and Milah were.

"There is no way Henry will do that. He knows the repercussions." David's voice snapped him out of his trance.

"George was here demanding a potion to bend someone's will. He will force Henry to do it; and Henry won't have a choice. He will be consciously aware of his actions, even try to fight it but he won't succeed." He explained.

"Snow will lose her memories of her old life; and Henry will live knowing that he caused it." Ariel's horrified voice echoed through the room.

"What is the nearest point to the border?" Regina frantically asked.

"Where Hook and August are stationed, why?" David asked.

"Because he would want to watch it. He can't be on the boat or he'll lose his memories too; so he'll stand somewhere close." Regina explained.

"Yes; but we have to figure out a way to stop them." David declared.

"This potion is very powerful; little Henry won't stand a chance. He will have no other choice but to follow; and he already has a head start. Even if we use magic to get to the marina; there is still no guarantee that we will have enough time to stop them before they cross the border. And we can't teleport to their boat because it is moving."

"I'm a mermaid Rumple. I don't care how fast that boat goes; I will stop it before the damned border." Ariel declared in a final tone; before the line went dead.

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**Yes I know….short! And I promise I will try to update tonight or tomorrow tops! Let me know what you all think and hope you all enjoy it.**


	29. Bend Thy Will

**To Diejj, do you have any idea how much I love you right now?! Glad you liked it and thank you for being so understanding. :D**

**To Jason, I hope you had a wonderful and blessed thanksgiving too. And yes Henry will feel awful about it, but luckily that's what Ariel is for :D**

**To Kcrane, well I knew you wanted to see her turn so there you go.**

**To Marisa, it seems like everybody is requesting Daniel's return. I see you are a newcomer so welcome and I'm glad you liked the story and stalk it all you want. Also, my best friend calls me sweets too xD. **

**To carriemarrie78, this is as soon as it gets xD. And like I told Jason, I have absolutely no idea how long this will be. **

**To Percybeth4ever, I will keep calling you that because it is A LOT shorter than your other name xD. I did check out your story, and I like the parallelism in it. And yeah, I told you if I found a place for it I will put it. So there it is.**

**To Gizela, well it is FICTION so it's not supposed to be accurate. We have boring accurate reality for that, right?! xD. Well, she is trying to turn things around so yeah she is calling her that. And I just couldn't resist her doing it; moreover she did it with David standing right there and he did nothing to stop her. And yes Go Ariel :D**

**To Barbara Montgomery, looooool. I never said it will be 50, but we'll see xD.**

**To all my followers and reviewers, thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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Ariel hurriedly took off her boots and placed the phone inside one of them, before waving her hand and made them disappear in a whirl of smoke. She looked around, made no one was looking before she took off her clothes, and sent them away too. She then jumped into the water and turned into a mermaid, before diving into the water to follow the boat.

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Regina rounded on Rumple as soon as the line went dead, "You better pray that Ariel finds them in time, or I swear Rumple NOTHING and I mean NOTHING will save you from me." She said through gritted teeth.

He was about to throw back a retort, but he bit it back. As it was proven mere minutes before; when she's doing something for her children, she is a hundred times more powerful than he is. Powers are known to be connected to one's emotions, and there is nothing stronger than a mother's love.

"I assure you, _your majesty_ that I did not know that he had this in mind. I wouldn't do anything that will harm Henry in any way." He said in a shaky breath; he was still trying to get his breathing under control. Neither David nor Regina could deny the sincerity, as well as the pain in his voice.

"Regina, come on we have to make it to the marina." David urgently told her; snapping her out of the glaring match she was having with Rumplestiltskin.

Regina kept glaring at Rumple; she believed him when he said that he wouldn't hurt Henry, but he only said Henry; so did that mean that he meant to hurt Snow?! Or does she fall under the title 'hurting Henry'?. She wanted to plunge her hand inside his chest again and keep it there a while longer; just so that he would have an idea of what pain is really like. David's urgent voice snapped her out of her own head and she turned around immediately to follow him out of the shop, when Rumple's voice stopped them both in their tracks.

"I need to go with you." His voice was still a bit shaky as he tried to get his breathing under control.

They both spun around; and this time he found Regina's glare mirrored by David, "Excuse me?!" her voice was laced with venom and shock at his bluntness.

"This entire mess is YOUR fault and you want to tag along!" she incredulously yelled.

"You need my help. Knowing George, he probably sabotaged the boats so that no one can follow…." He was interrupted by Regina's scoff, "I have magic too Rumple; I can fix it just fine thank you." She retaliated.

"What about your promise to Henry?" he taunted, and smirked at her fallen face.

"To hell with the promise; she's doing it for him and he will understand." David barked, pulling Regina towards the door.

"What about breaking the spell on Henry?! It is my magic, and you need me to break it. Otherwise; getting to them won't solve anything." His tone was calm and arrogantly sure. He smirked, as he walked over to them, "Shall we?" he gestured towards the door.

Both David and Regina were glaring at him; if a look could kill, he would have been sushi by now.

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Snow's head hurt like hell, and she could hear loud roaring of something. She tried to use her hands to push herself up, but something pulled on them against her will. She lazily pried her eyes open, and was met with Henry's back. She blinked a few times to clear her vision, to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. To make sure that what she was seeing of her surroundings was true.

She was lying on the floor of a yacht, with her hand cuffed to a metal bar above her head. She was in the middle of the ocean and Henry was the one driving the boat. It took her a few seconds before she was able to hear his sobs.

She pulled herself up, and started sliding the cuffs a bit closer to Henry.

"Henry!" she calledd, and his scream tore through her heart.

"GRANDMA; I CANT STOP. HE IS MAKING ME DRIVE THE BOAT ACROSS THE BORDER!" he screamed; and she was stunned into silence. Her mind went numb at his words, before it started swarming with thoughts. She would forget it all; her husband, daughter, mother, grandson, sister and friends. She will be Mary Margret again; the one who is in love with a married man and who shares an apartment with the Sheriff; not to mention hates the cold hearted mayor. She was pulled out of her thoughts by Henry's sobs; and she realized the bigger picture. If Henry feels guilty about treating Regina badly; this will kill him! Not only would she have lost her memories; but he will think that she lost it at his hands. That he helped whoever is behind this achieve his goal.

"It's alright sweetheart; I know that you don't want to do this but you can't stop yourself." She tried to assure her freaked out grandson.

"YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MEMEORY. YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING." He cried back; and the pain and guilt in his voice tore through his heart. Especially that she knows that once they cross the border, she won't be able to ease them.

"Sweetheart listen to me; this is NOT your fault. I know the spell you're under, it is very powerful and no one can fight it. Promise me that you won't feel guilty and beat yourself up about this; this is what they want. Please promise me?" she gently begged.

Henry was shaking his head hard. He can't let this happen, he can't curse her back. He was trying to focus his energy into making himself turn around, grab the keys to the cuffs that are on the top shelf (King George and his thug left it there to taunt him), un-cuff his grandmother and jump out of the boat.

"Henry please promise me." He heard Snow's voice from behind him; and he also heard the choked tears in them, knowing that she is about to lose it all again.

Before either of them were able to say anything else, another voice cut through the tension, "Henry, Snow" Ariel yelled.

"ARIEL!" Henry screamed his sister's name in panic and plea.

Snow turned her head around and saw Ariel pulling herself up onto the ledge of the yacht. She was about to ask how she got there, when her eyes caught sight of Ariel's fishtail.

"It's alright, sweetheart. Everything will be fine, just keep driving." Ariel assured her frantic brother, as she slid off the ledge and landed on the floor of the boat.

"Can you swim?" she directed her question at Snow.

"Yes, but…" Snow's sentence was interrupted by the clang of metal falling against the floor of the yacht. She looked at her hands and saw that they were free. She moved towards Henry, when Ariel's voice stopped her.

"NO! You go, I'll get him." Ariel yelled.

"You have no idea how to stop a yacht; I'm the only one who can." Snow yelled back.

"You can't stop it; they messed with the breaks." Henry yelled through his tears.

"Snow, listen to me; we are closing in on the border, and we're closing in fast. I can sense the magic there, Henry and I were never affected by the curse so we're safe here, but you're not. Just please get the hell out of here and I'll get Henry." Ariel frantically explained to a very stubborn Snow.

Snow looked at her sister and then at her grandson before she moved closer to the ledge and jumped.

Ariel turned around towards Henry, "Henry!" she gently called him.

"Ariel, I can't stop. And you and I both know that there are no guarantees that you're safe from the curse." His voice was frantic and chocked from the tears.

"You don't have to stop. Just give me one of your hands." She said, as she reached one hand towards him.

He looked back at her in surprise at her strange request.

"I am not asking you to break the spell; keep your other hand on the wheel and just give me the other." She explained.

He looked down at her hand and noticed that it was glowing bright blue.

"Just take it." She gently assured him.

He reached out to her and she gently grabbed his hand; a second later his other hand let go of the wheel abruptly. He flung his arms around Ariel's neck and sobbed into its crook.

"Shhhhh." She gently soothed as she smoothed his hair with her hand.

"Help me onto the ledge so we can get off this thing." She added gently.

"I don't know how to swim." He mumbled into her hair.

"Well I can." She said gently.

"Oh yeah!" he said, as he let go of her neck.

He helped her onto the ledge, and she jumped into the water. He waited till she faced him before jumping in after her and wrapped his arms around her neck. He felt her arms wrap protectively and tightly around his waist, as she rubbed his back gently. They both watched as the boat kept going, and crashed against one of the wave barriers.

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Snow jumped out of the boat and swam back for a few minutes, to make sure that she won't drift towards the border with the tide. She stopped to catch her breath and rest; she was still reeling from the chloroform that King George's thug drugged her with. She looked towards the direction she came from and saw the boat still moving towards the border. She lay on her back to rest and closed her eyes against the sun. She was panting heavily but she could still feel her anger bubbling up inside of her. If George's plan had worked, she would have lost everything. It's true that Ariel said that she will try to restore Sneezy's memories; but even she said no guarantees. Not to mention that it would have destroyed Henry. He's a child and he would have felt guilty no matter what anybody said. And Regina would have been inconsolable. Basically if George's plan had succeeded, the damage would have been extensive, and no one would have been spared.

She was pulled back to earth by the roaring of a boat engine. She lifted her head and turned around in the water to get a better look at the boat. She was hoping that it's not King George coming back to finish the task himself, before remembering that he can't do that unless he wants to forget about his other identity as well. And she felt happiness bubble up inside of her at the sound of her mother's frantic voice.

"There David, I think that's Snow in the water." Regina frantically pointed to where Snow was in the water. David steered the boat in that direction.

Snow smiled at her mother and husband and swam towards them.

David switched off the engine and slowed down next to Snow; before he bent down to help an already halfway over the ledge Regina pull Snow up.

"Snow?!" they both asked gently, though frantically too.

Snow looked at them both, and smiled warmly at them both. Especially at the worry and anticipation in their eyes and on their faces.

"Don't worry, Ariel got to us in time. My name is Snow White, you are my husband, the handsome Prince Charming," she teased, "and you are my mother, Regina Mills. I have a daughter, Emma; a sister and a grandson." She said in one breath.

David and Regina let out the breath that they were holding, and trapped her between their arms.

She hugged them back just as tight, and heard Regina sniffling as she tried to muffle her sobs. Snow knew that Regina feels even worse about the curse now, because it nearly destroyed Snow and Henry along with it this time. She rubbed her mother's back soothingly and was about to comfort her, before she noticed the person standing behind them.

She drew back from the hug and looked at her mother and husband, confusion and suspicion all over her face, "What is he doing here?" she pointed an accusatory finger at Rumple.

"We don't know if Ariel will be able to break the spell on Henry, so we need him here to break it." Regina gently explained, although Snow noted the resentment and anger in her tone.

Regina looked over Snow a million times to make sure that she was still in one piece, as well as wound free. To her surprise Snow let her inspect her over without objections. After she was satisfied, she looked back at the water to try and spot her other two children, "Where are Ariel and Henry?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure. Ariel made me jump before we reach the border and said she will deal with Henry. I tried to slow the boat down, but Henry said that George sabotaged the breaks." Snow explained.

As if on cue, Ariel and Henry emerged from under the water; with Henry still in Ariel's arms.

"Looking for someone?!" Henry quipped.

Snow felt her heart warm up a bit that Henry was in a better mood, but she still noted the look on his face and she knew that they will all have to sit him down and talk to him.

A sound escaped Regina's lip that was half laugh, half sob and she bent over to get Henry. He unwrapped one arm from around Ariel and put it around Regina, before he let go and wrapped the other one too. Regina basically yanked him from Ariel's grasp and pulled him up onto the boat. Smothering him with kisses while squeezing all the oxygen out of him.

David and Snow bent down to help Ariel up onto the boat.

Regina finally set Henry down on his feet, but kept one arm around him, "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" she frantically chocked out through the tears as she inspected him over. Henry shook his head hard, before he buried his face into her neck and hair again. She wrapped her arms around him again and rubbed his back gently. She knew that the weight of it all was starting to come back to him.

In the midst of it all, Rumple's existence had been forgotten. They were all snapped out of their reveries by Ariel's angry voice, "You!" she hissed. If she wasn't still a mermaid, she probably would've walked over to him and grabbed him by the neck by now.

Henry let go of Regina's neck but remained in her arms, with his head resting on her chest. They all looked at Ariel, and even though she was wearing an angry expression on her face; she looked gorgeous as a mermaid.

She had a long, scarlet tail with gentle black, interlocked waves to it; the same pattern that made her bra. Her dark hair glistened as the water reflected the sunlight; same for her soaked arms and torso.

"It's alright, he's here to help." David assured her, trying to calm her flaring temper down. He noticed that her fingertips were starting to sparkle with small bolts of lightning.

"Help?" she incredulously asked.

"We weren't sure if you would be able to break the bending spell on Henry; so since it is _my _magic, I came to help break it." He explained. Although his tone held the usual arrogance and smirk to it.

Ariel could feel her anger flaring even more at that.

"Mom can I have your coat please?" she asked her mother. Her tone was urgent and a bit angry.

Regina was confused by the request, but took off her coat and handed it to Ariel nonetheless.

Ariel put it on, and they watched as rings of water surrounded Ariel's tail and glowed, before disappearing; and Ariel was left with her legs back.

She held the coat tight around her body, spun around and jumped into the boat. Before walking towards Rumpelstiltskin; she was stopped by her mother when she passed by her.

Regina watched her daughter transform back into a human, before she marched towards Rumple. When she felt like she was getting too close for her liking, she grabbed her arm and stopped her.

Ariel knew why her mother stopped her from moving any closer; Regina still had her hands around Henry and was standing protectively in front of Snow and David.

"Do you mind explaining to me what the hell the deal was in the first place?" Ariel hissed, "What did he offer you that got you to agree to give him a potion to bend someone's will?! It's a powerful potion and hell he could've used it on you." Ariel's voice grew louder with each word.

"Your mother made him an ADA in this world. And his degrees are legitimate, which means he has connections in the outside world and he can help me find Bae." He yelled back.

"Do you think your son would've _wanted _to be found like this?!" Snow shot back.

"He's my son; I have to exhaust every viable option." He retaliated.

"Alright, you know what…this has to stop. I'm going to cut a deal with you right now." Ariel told him.

"Ariel!" Snow, David and Regina chorused at the same time.

"No!" she shot back, before turning back to Rumple, "STOP making deals with anyone who might have a slight chance of helping you find Bae; and the second Cora is dealt with I won't rest until he is in Storybrooke. Because I swear to you Rumple, if ANYONE got hurt because of those deals I WILL become your worst nightmare. Cora will be the least of your worries."

Rumple kept looking at her in silence for a few moments, thinking the deal over, before he finally nodded.

"No twisting my words around Rumple. NO DEALS! NONE whatsoever; no matter how harmless you think the person is, or how harmless the deal is. One consequence befalls us because of your deals and our deal is OFF. DO. I. MAKE. MYSELF. CLEAR?!"she all but yelled the last part.

"Crystal" he said.

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Snow, Regina, Henry and Snow tiptoed into the house; and Regina quietly closed the door behind her.

"She's still sleeping." Ariel told them gently, "I smell her in her room." She explained at the questioning gaze she got from Snow.

"How come your tail didn't just turn back into the clothes you were wearing; it did with the dress." Snow asked her.

"Only the dress does that. If I'm wearing anything else, it doesn't turn back into it." Ariel gently explained, "that's why I asked mom for her coat. I can't exactly walk around naked!"

The all giggled quietly, as the ascended the stairs.

"I'm gonna go shower." Henry declared; and they all noted the sad tone in his voice.

"I think all three of us should." Snow suggested.

And with that, Regina and Ariel went into the master bedroom, Henry into his and Snow into hers.

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**Okay so here is it. **

**Kcrane, I hope you like Ariel as a mermaid.**

**To all, sorry for the wait and let me know what you think. I will try to get in another chapter tonight but no promises. The faster you review the faster the chapter gets uploaded. Hope you all enjoy it.**


	30. Mirror Mirror

**To rebakathy, glad you liked it hun.**

**To Jason, glad you had a wonderful thanksgiving and that you enjoyed the chapter THAT much. I think your tears fall faster than mine, and that's saying something :D. **

**As for Regina's moments with Henry, I love writing them too and I really do hope they do it on the show. Last episode was a start but since this is **_**my **_**story so I'm releasing all my wishes in it. And yes I do believe as well that a child's love for a parent can be unconditional, which is what I'm showing with Ariel; not just with her protectiveness over Regina while she was still inside of her, but also as she grew up and how she didn't hate her even after she became the Evil Queen. And also with Henry. I would love to have them do it on the show even if I didn't write it, and I actually do think that David understands even on the show but for some reason he's not showing it. **

**The good in Rumple exists only when it comes to children, he can't harm a child because of how much they remind him of his son. But he also didn't give the baby back to Regina after she pushed Cora inside the portal, proving that he took the baby for his own benefit as well. But no worries, he is my favorite villain and I love his scenes with Regina.**

** As for chapter 6, that chapter took me an hour to write because I couldn't see through the tears; it is heartwarming and heart wrenching as well. The little mermaid was always my favorite story because of how rebellious Ariel is, so I decided to make her extra powerful to boot so that she can stand up to Cora. I hate how arrogant she and Rumple are on the show thinking that they are invincible. And yes Henry was the light in her heart for so long, which is why she almost turned back when he started pulling away. And yea she is finally getting her redemption.**

**To carriemarri78, I think I won't update again on a week day! I don't want the teacher cursing me :D. Glad you liked it hun.**

**To Kcrane, I am trying to plan out their date but it's taking more time than I thought. Glad you liked her as a mermaid.**

**To percybeth4ever, who says she's out? Just because she didn't show for a few chapters don't mean she's out, it just means that I didn't have anything for her to do. **

**To Barbara Montgomery, no worries she has to return but I am giving them a few chapters of peace before they have to face her again. Thanks hun and am glad you liked it. And I like that they're called episodes now :D**

**To Ann, I see you are new. Glad you liked the story hun and I hope that this is soon enough for you :D and don't worry, this story is Regina centric so more of her relationship with everybody is a given.**

**To Guest, well she is arrogant but only when it is needed. Like when she faces Rumple and of course Cora. Glad you liked the story and I hope you keep enjoying it.**

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Regina made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. She had picked up the habit of baking things whenever she's nervous or upset. And right now she was both; if she hadn't cast the damned curse in the first place, they wouldn't have been in this mess right now. Snow nearly lost her memory because of her, and Henry is still racked with guilt over what happened, adding to the already existing guilt Ariel had told her about. She started to throw the ingredients into the mixing ball and opted to use the wooden spoon instead of the electric mixer to blow off some of her frustration. She started vigorously mixing the ingredients into the ball; or more like beating it up. Her tears had started to fall down her face, despite her many attempts to keep them away. Her frustration, anger and guilt were getting worse and she couldn't keep the tears at bay anymore. Thankfully though, Emma was asleep and her daughters and son were still in the shower.

After about 15 minutes of batter abuse, she poured the ingredients into the pan and put it inside the oven. She walked over to the downstairs bathroom and washed all signs of her little meltdown away.

She climbed the stairs back to the second floor, and heard the shower in her and Snow's rooms still on. She gently knocked onto Henry's bedroom door, "come in" she heard him say. His voice was so broken and small that it tore through her heart. He always had his spirit and was enthusiastic. She opened the door slowly and her heart sank at the way he was sitting on his bed. His head was bowed and it was obvious that he had been crying.

"Henry" she gently called him, as she sat facing him on the bed. He still wouldn't lift his head, so she gently lifted it. She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces at the look in his eyes, knowing that it was partially, if not fully, her fault. She used her thumb to gently stroke his cheek, "Oh, Henry" she gently exclaimed, trying to hold back the tears that were collecting in her eyes. She was thrown back from the force of his body crashing into her, as he threw his arms around her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and gently ran her fingers in his hair to sooth him. She could feel his tears on the back of her neck, and his sobs tore through her heart.

"Shhhhh, it's alright sweetheart. I've got you know." she found herself saying, although she didn't think that it would bring that much comfort for him; considering it was her curse that caused this all. But to her surprise Henry tightened his arms around her, as if he needs the assurance that she really _does_ have him and that she won't let go. She tightened her hold in response and started murmuring kisses and whispering words in his hair.

"I…tried….to…stop…but…I…"he stuttered into her neck between sobs.

"Shhhhh, I know." she gently soothed, as she kept rocking them back and forth.

A few minutes later, Henry's sobs had finally subsided but he was still sniffling. He unwrapped his arms from around her neck, but didn't break out of her hold. She leaned back against the head board of his bed, and he laid his head on her chest. She kept running her fingers in his hair, while her thumb kept rubbing the side of his arm. Her head was resting on top of his, and he was immensely comforted by her scent and warmth.

This somehow made him feel even worse about the way he used to treat her; even when she was cold and the Evil Queen in disguise with everyone, she was still warm and loving towards him. He was starting to realize that everybody had a hand in the way she became; and why she fought so hard to keep the curse intact. At some point it stopped being about destroying Snow's happiness and about not wanting to go back to being the Evil Queen. She knew that the town's people wouldn't give her a chance to redeem herself; and she will have to be cold and hard again to survive. She knew no one would believe her if she went soft, no matter how gradual it is. Even her own son was calling her the Evil Queen. Emma said that she was surprised when she knew that he didn't want anything to happen to her. She truly believed that he hated her; and he can't blame her. He told her so himself so many times; that she just had to believe it. She only relaxed and even let him go after she found out that the rest of the town was respecting his wishes of keeping her alive and safe. It even took David 2 weeks to tell them about Ariel and the whole story of Daniel and her mom. And the only reason they believed it was because they showed it to them. And the fact that he and Henry have been living with her for 2 weeks already also helped.

He started looking back at some of the situations before the curse broke, and it confirmed his idea. She was desperately trying to keep the curse intact for two reasons; so that she wouldn't lose him and so that she wouldn't have to be the Evil Queen again. Not to mention that being the Evil Queen was probably the only way she would have been able to deal with losing him. And it took Daniel's death for him to finally admit that he _does_ love her and that it's ok to want her to be a part of his life. He asked her to give up magic and she did; even though she knew that if word had gotten around she could've ended up dead. She wasn't going to use her powers to defend herself just so that she doesn't break her promise to him. A chill ran down his spine at the thought of what that angry mob, led by Whale, would have done if they hadn't gotten there in time, and shuddered. He shook his head to get rid of the 'what if' images that flooded his mind. He felt his mother's arms tighten around him and he snuggled more into her.

And he also realized; that if it wasn't for the curse, he probably would have never been with her. He loved Emma and wanted to grow up with her; but at the same time he doesn't want Regina gone. He cant wish for a life where she wasn't there for him as he grew up. He loved them both, and he didn't want to have to choose. No curse, meant no her as his mom. Maybe a great-grandmother; but it still wouldn't have been the same. His head was starting to hurt because of the emotions and thoughts. He subconsciously grabbed fistfuls of her pajama top and held tight.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm here; and I'm not going anywhere." Regina reassured him; she knew the signs of someone who is desperately trying to assure himself that a person is really there. After all, she used it with Ariel many times. She kissed the top of his head softly, and kept rocking them gently. She also started humming.

Henry felt some of his anxiety fade away at her words; and when she started humming the song in Ariel's locket into his hair, he felt it all melt away. Things may have been messed up at first, but now they're not. He doesn't have to choose between a life with Emma and another with Regina; he can have them both in his life now. Regina was always a wonderful mother to him, and now Emma is being one as well. Snow and David were his grandparents, and Ariel was his sister. He figured he'll need to talk it over with Ariel, just to make sure that those feelings are normal, and maybe even ask her how she dealt with the 'what ifs'. But he wasn't torn between two lives anymore, because he simply didn't have to.

They both heard the timer on the oven go off.

"You're baking something?" he asked her.

Regina smiled at him, "Yes, I made brownies." She gently said as she kissed his forehead.

Henry's face broke into a smile when he heard 'brownies' and Regina couldn't help but smile back.

They both looked towards the door at the sound of footsteps; and a few seconds later Ariel and Snow came into view. They both frowned at the looks both Regina and Henry had.

"Are you two alright?" Ariel asked gently.

Regina smiled at the concern in her daughter's voice and in every detail of her incredibly exhausted-looking face. She smiled warmly at her, "yeah." She assured her.

Ariel narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her mother, before sharing a look with Snow. They all looked at Henry when he started laughing. Regina didn't really care why he was laughing, just as long as he was. But she was curious.

"What's so funny?" Snow finally asked the question that was on their minds.

"That look you gave mom. I have no idea how no one ever figured out that you were hers; it was the exact same look she gives someone when she doesn't believe what they're saying." He told his sister through his giggles.

Ariel chuckled at his remark, "Well I sort of made sure that no one who can put the pieces together lays eyes on me. The last thing I needed was for them to use me as leverage against her. I knew she would have given them anything and that would have involved her life at one point." Ariel gently explained. And she instantly knew that she will have to elaborate that to her mother when they are alone. Regina looked like someone had just ripped her heart out; and it probably felt the same.

"Is that why you didn't go to her after you found out that Cora was out of the picture?" Snow asked.

"Yeah, by then if I had gone to her and broke Cora's hold on her; it would have been disastrous. Many people wanted her head at the time; so I couldn't do it without getting her killed. I was still trying to come up with a plan that would not involve her dead body, when she cast the curse. And I tried to come here many times but it seems the curse prevented anyone from entering the town, unless they're meant to." She explained, before frowning. Her wolf senses had caught something, "Why do I smell brownies?" she asked.

"Mom bakes when she's nervous." Henry mumbled against Regina's chest; and smiled when Regina's body shook with laughter.

"Well, I'll go get them. I imagine we'll need them as we talk." Snow suggested, as she got up from her place and headed downstairs.

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**Here is the next chapter, I know that it is all fluff and emotions but I hope you guys will enjoy it. Let me know what you think.**


	31. Evil and A Curse?

**To Diejj, night?! Where do you live? Cause it was night here too :D. Anyways, I hope you're better now and I'm always happy to help. Glad you liked it and I hope you enjoy this one.**

**To rebakathy, yea I guess. And yes I love it too; I think they need to show that on the show because he's acting too much like a spoiled brat for my liking. I know that she cursed them all, but apart from making him feel crazy, she was his mom for 10 years. He can't just throw all that away!**

**To Jason, you need to stop praying that this doesn't end, because every time I think that I'm gonna wrap things up and finish it, new ideas come to life and I find more storylines popping in :D and yes Regina comforted Henry as only a mother could. They will talk so get the tissue box ready.**

**To pebbles1213, why is everyone reading my story in class?! Glad you liked it sweetie and thanks for the review.**

**To carriemarrie78, I loved my 10****th**** grade. Glad you liked it.**

**To Ann, no worries this story is a mix of both. But after some action there has to be some fluff. Thanks for the review and hope you keep enjoying the story!**

**To Dakota Kent, I see you are a new comer. Welcome and thanks for the review.**

**To Aby, long time no see. And yes I adore them together too; he's mommy's boy.**

**To Barbara Montgomery, well I am glad that you think that they are this good. Here's another episode for your enjoyment.**

**To all my readers and followers, thank you for the support. Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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Regina still had Henry in her arms, and watched as her daughter made herself comfortable on the bed. Watching how easily Ariel accepted her as her mother, and loved her so much; even though she didn't grow up with her, made her understand how Henry wanted to find his birth mother. How he easily accepted her back in his life, and how it didn't take long for him to actually love her. How it didn't take long for Emma to love him; even love him enough to break the curse on him.

It seemed that everything that happened lately kept proving to her just how wrong her mother had been about love. She started thinking about all the bad things she did all over again; she knows that she already started to make things right, but she still had a LONG way back. And she was starting to wonder if she will ever feel at peace with herself over what she did.

But on the other hand, if she hadn't cast that curse; Emma would have grown up with her parents; she probably wouldn't even have Henry. And if she did, she wasn't going to give him up for adoption. Which meant that he wouldn't have been in her arms right now. She didn't want Henry gone, but at the same time; she wanted to watch Ariel grow up. She imagined that this is how Ariel feels; and maybe even Henry. But she didn't want to keep her hopes up. She sighed as the weight of everything started crashing in on her, and the fact that she hadn't slept all night and is emotionally drained wasn't helping. She was trying to keep the tears at bay, and it seemed that Ariel noticed.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Ariel asked, concerned.

"Nothing sweetheart, I was just thinking." Regina answered gently.

Ariel and Henry shared a look, but before Ariel was able to say anything else, Snow walked in with the plate of brownies.

"Regina, these are delicious." She mumbled through her mouth full of brownies.

Regina smiled warmly at her, "Thanks, dear."

"You should have seen the stuff she made when you guys were in the Enchanted Forrest." Henry declared, as he took one from the plate. The other 3 laughed at his statement.

"Well, now that brownies are here, we can approach the subject at hand." Snow suggested.

Henry stiffened in his mother's hold when he heard Snow's statement. Regina gently, but firmly, took a hold of his arm, while the other hand kept running through his hair. And she felt the hand that was clutching the back of her top, clench tighter around the fabric. She looked over at Ariel, and realized that her daughter's wolf senses were picking up on Henry's emotions.

Ariel's chest felt like it was going to explode from the amount of emotions that Henry was radiating. Not only was her smelling sense overwhelmed by the amount of fear that he was radiating, but her hearing also picked up on his dangerously elevated heart rate. She also knew EXACTLY how he felt; after all she feels guilty about a few things herself. She gave her mother a small smile, when she saw that she was looking intently at her.

"Listen honey, IF they had succeeded it wouldn't have been your fault. The spell was made to bend your will; and there was no getting around it." Snow gently told him.

"I was trying to fight it, but I don't understand why it didn't work." His voice was barely audible, and filled with sadness.

"Henry there is no fighting it. I know this spell; NO ONE can fight it. Once it is cast on someone, they have to do what they are told no matter how hard they try to fight it. That's what makes it so powerful; the person is aware of his actions and is trying to stop them, but cant." His mother spoke into his hair.

"Then how did Ariel break it?" he asked.

"Honey I broke it with magic. Remember the glow on my hand?" she gently asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, that was me breaking it. I told you to leave one hand on the wheel so that it wouldn't be considered conflict of orders. The second you gave me your hand, I used magic to break it and that is why you let go. You can't fight it; it has nothing to do with will power or even love. It is simple magic basics." Ariel gently explained.

"And if they had succeeded; if Ariel hadn't got to us in time, it wouldn't have been your fault" Snow gently stressed, "They made you drive it over the border, and I know that you didn't want to do it." She added.

Henry nodded.

"This was NOT your fault Henry. Don't ever feel guilty about it." Snow stressed.

"Okay." He said gently, his voice seemed to hold a lot less guilt.

"And you," Snow looked at Regina, "Stop blaming yourself as well." Her voice was gently, yet firm.

Henry broke out of his mother's hold, so he can look at her face. He immediately frowned at the look in her eyes. He took a hold of the hand that she had on his arm and started to rub the back of it with his thumb.

Regina stared in disbelief at Snow. How could she possibly know that she felt guilty? She wasn't letting it show, was she?

She cleared her throat, to get rid of the lump that formed, "Snow, what are you talking about? I'm not blaming myself." her voice was shaking a bit. And she internally scolded herself.

"Right. Then why do you look like you're the one who cuffed me to the bar in the boat?" Snow scolded lightly.

Regina let out a small laugh, "It's just that my mind is still going wild with the bad alternative scenarios that could have happened."

"And you are also thinking that if you hadn't cast the curse in the first place, none of this would've happened." Henry added.

Regina looked down at her son, and she felt her internal conflict worsen. On one hand; if she hadn't cast the curse, Snow wouldn't have been in danger of losing her memory today. But on the other; if she hadn't, Henry wouldn't be in her arms right now. And maybe not even Ariel. She felt the tears rise up again to her eyes, and her throat clamped up. She closed her eyes, to try to get rid of the tears; and tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

It must've shown on her face; because she felt Henry move back into her arms, and squeeze her hand tighter. She opened her eyes, and saw that Snow had moved a bit closer to her and had a reassuring hand on her thigh. Ariel was sitting next to her, with her arm around both her and Henry.

She felt herself relax, and she noted that even Henry relaxed into Ariel too.

"Mom, I know that you think that this is partly your fault." Snow started.

"More like entirely." Regina scoffed.

Snow raised an eyebrow at her, and Henry sat straight into her arms.

"_Mom_, it wasn't your fault." Snow stressed, with additional stress on the title. And she smiled warmly, when Regina's face broke into a teary smile, "Like I told you before, what you went through kept eating away at your soul, and the piece of Cora was growing, until you didn't have anything else left to believe in. Rumple created that curse and basically bent over backwards to get someone to cast it for him; he's the one who screwed up with the whole revert to cursed identities when you cross the border; and George is the one who kidnapped me and Henry." She added.

"Yes, but…" Regina started, only to be interrupted by Henry.

"No, no buts. Look, yes you turned into the Evil Queen, but you had help. It wasn't just you; many people either helped you become it, or made sure you stay that way. Even I wouldn't give you a chance." He said in a firm, gentle voice.

Regina stared at him wide eyed from the shock, "Sweetheart, don't…" she started, but was interrupted by Snow.

"No, he's right. None of us gave you a chance, and we all had a hand in your turning." Snow told her, "You didn't turn overnight, it was years. I always had the memories of you doing my hair before a ball or when you helped me pick out a dress; the horse riding lessons, and many more. If you were as bad as you think, or were as bad all along, then none of this would've happened. Look back at your life with your mother and my life with you; Cora wasn't affectionate in the least, but you were. And like I told you before, if you hadn't cast the curse; NONE of this would've happened, and that includes Henry." She added.

Regina's hold tightened around Henry when she heard Snow's last sentence, "I know, which is why I feel so horrible. Because a part of me is happy that it was cast because I got Henry out of it, and I can't wish for a life where he wasn't my son." She tearfully declared.

"And I can't wish for a life where you weren't my mom either." Henry assured her.

Her head snapped in his direction and was genuinely surprised by his words.

The surprise in his mother's eyes hit Henry like a million daggers, and made him feel worse. He felt Ariel rubbing his back comfortingly; knowing what is going through his head.

"Look, mom. I know that I said some pretty horrible things, and basically made it clear that I didn't want you in my life, and that I wish you weren't my mom, but…" he started, his tears falling down his face.

Regina's hand immediately cupped his cheek and wiped the tears with her thumb, "Shhhhh, don't say that. I told you before that I didn't know how to love very well, and I may have smothered you. I made you feel like you had no other choice but to feel this way; you are not at fault here, I am."

Henry shook his head hard at her words, "No. Look, you knew that the second the curse breaks you will have no other choice but to be the Evil Queen again, to protect yourself against the people's anger. And to also help you deal with losing me. You didn't want either." He stressed.

"Even if my heart was in the right place; I still went about it the wrong way." Her voice was still chocked from the tears.

"So did I." Henry told her.

"You're 10 sweetheart; you're supposed to go about things the wrong way." She chuckled.

"Well, I'm not." Snow interrupted, "I was no better. I held on to the grudge and nearly killed you a few times. I'm pretty sure if I had powers, I would have used them on you. And the fact that a part of you is happy that you cast the curse, because you got Henry doesn't make you a bad person. On the contrary; it makes you a great mother." She continued.

Regina tearfully smiled at her, before resting her head on top of Henry's when he put it back on her chest.

"You've been awfully quiet throughout all of this." Snow said, directing her statement at Ariel.

"Well, I was never mad at her, so you guys will have more effect than I will." Ariel explained.

Regina's heart twisted at her daughter's words, 'she never got mad. What could I have possibly done in my life to deserve her for a daughter? To deserve any of them?'

"Look, mom." Henry said, "I know that you think that I have nothing to be sorry for, but truth is, we all messed up. You didn't want to lose me, and you went about it the wrong way. And I was mad that you lied to me, and I handled it wrong. I never hated you and I never wished for a life without you. But I thought that if I don't wish for it, then I'm somehow betraying Emma. I let my anger blind me from what is right. You were my mother for 10 years, and you were great at it. I shouldn't have thrown all that away. Maybe if I had approached it differently, many things wouldn't have happened. I basically did what you did with Snow White and Prince Charming, minus the powers and the curse." He continued, "I love you, and I never stopped. Even when I claimed that I didn't, and that I wanted to go live with Emma. I still wanted you in my life, I just didn't know how I could have both. And I thought that it was my job and that it was what's right for me to push you away and force myself to wish for a life without you."

Regina's tears were unstoppable by now. She smiled tearfully at her son, before she pulled him in for a bone crushing hug, and buried her nose and mouth in his hair. All three heard her sniffles.

Henry held on tight to his mother, and rubbed his face in her top, taking in her scent. He could feel Snow's hand rubbing Regina's thigh comfortingly, while Ariel rubbed her arm.

"Thank you Henry." Regina's voice was chocked. And Henry just tightened his hold on her and nuzzled his face into her more in response.

"And thank you Snow." She added, as she tearfully smiled at Snow.

"Anytime, mom"

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**Another fluffy chapter. I promise that there will be some action pretty soon, so enjoy the fluff while you can. Let me know what you all think of this.**


	32. Reflections

**To Diejj, well no I'm not from the Netherlands but I am not as far as you think. Our time zones aren't that different which explains how it was night :D. The action WILL come I promise, but I have to lead up to it. Enjoy the fluff for now and I hope the flu is gone. And welcome to my twitter page ;)**

**To Jason, well I knew you would need it ;) glad you liked it and I love action too, but I am also a fan of well written fluff, especially the parent-child kind. And keep wishing for it, maybe it'll happen :D Henry will talk to Emma, but I still have no idea how that chapter is going to go, I'm still working on it. Always looking forward to your reviews; and yes this Sunday's episode will be epic and will have lots of Regina, but sadly no Ariel. :D**

**To Evilregal, I would love for that to happen. But until it does, I will keep writing here. Glad you liked it :D**

**To carriemarrie78, I hated chemistry too. Well, there will be Regina-Ariel bonding, don't worry. Glad you liked it.**

**To Aby, this is as fast as it gets. Hope you enjoy it.**

**To Gizela, if it aint the magic bothering you, then what is?! :P Don't worry there will be action soon.**

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Regina walked back down the stairs with the empty plate. Henry had asked to talk to Ariel in private and Snow was on the phone getting Henry his schoolwork for the day. She was thinking about what Snow had said; how her change was gradual. About what Henry said; and most importantly about what Ariel said at the office. She couldn't help but think that there was more to the story, and to why she stayed away. Something in her daughter's eyes suggested that there was more; but for some reason she didn't say.

She walked into the kitchen and put the plate in the sink, and leaned on it to try and shake the thoughts out of her head. She hadn't slept all night and was both physically and emotionally drained. If her mind kept going like this, she won't get any sleep. Moreover, tonight was a full moon as well, so Ariel would be spending the night in the woods yet again. She had to at least get some sleep while she can. The beeping of her phone snapped her out of her thoughts. She frowned and walked towards it; and saw that it was a calendar reminder. Her confusion only deepened; she doesn't remember marking anything on the calendar lately. She entered the password, and her eyes widened in realization at the screen.

'Daniel's birthday' was written. She closed her eyes, as memories of how she used to spend them came to mind. Especially that his birthday was a week before Ariel's.

When she was in the Enchanted Forrest; she would go to the stables and cry her heart out in the middle of the night. She used to come up with an excuse every year to go there. The King never understood why, but he let her go nonetheless. And sometimes he even went with her, "Change of scenery" he would say. When she went alone; she would use the mirror to look on their times together. Even after she became the cold-hearted Evil Queen; the tradition never stopped.

When she came to Storybrooke; she used to call in sick at the office and spend all day in bed. She didn't have the mirror, so she spent most of the day looking at the ring he gave her and unlocking all the memories from the catacombs of her mind. Their days as children running around; when she first realized that she had feelings for him; their first kiss; and of course their first night together. The way he used to look at her; how he didn't want her to do it if she didn't want to, which only made her want him more. And last but not least, their last night together; the night Ariel was conceived. But the walk down memory lane always ended tragically; with the memory of her mother plunging her hand into his chest and ripping his heart out, before crushing it into dust. And it always left her shaking and sobbing hard into her pillow. After she adopted Henry; it remained the same for the first 3 years. But after that she had to only do it when he was napping or at night. His presence comforted her, but it didn't put out the fire inside her; especially on Ariel's birthday.

Her daughter's birthday-which was also the day of her death- or so she thought, always hit her harder than Daniel's. She never managed to look into the mirror on that day, she couldn't bring herself to look in on what she thought would be her daughter's dead body. She would only pull out the blanket; go to the stables and start talking to the star-lit sky. When she came to Storybrooke, she would hug the blanket and play the memories of the pregnancy in her mind. The first time she felt her kick, and how she always kicked her when she was upset; as if she's reminding her that she's there. The day of her birth; the first contraction, the pain and how she thought that it was the worse pain she ever felt, until her mother told her that the baby was dead. The pain of losing Ariel was a lot worse than Daniel. With Daniel; she felt a piece of herself die with him. But with Ariel; she felt like someone had ripped her heart out and shattered into a million pieces, and never put it back together. She truly believes that the day Ariel died was the beginning of her downfall. She always fell asleep with the blanket in her arms that night. And many other nights when she needed to feel close to her daughter.

Of course after Henry came along, it became increasingly difficult to do that as he grew up. But it seemed that his presence comforted her on that day. When he was a baby; she would spend the entire day with him in her arms. Even when he took his naps; she would keep him in her arms, and often had him sleeping in her bed on that night. As he grew up, she would plan something for just the two of them; not as a distraction, but more like a compensation. After all, a parent loves each of his children with all of his heart. But she stayed away from the stables at all costs. She didn't trust herself to keep it together there.

She let out a content sigh, knowing that this year was different. Daniel was gone, but his daughter wasn't. Henry and Snow were with her again, and she was on the road to redemption. She smiled contently as she thought of how she can celebrate her daughter's birthday properly this year.

She jolted out of her trance, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around to find Snow.

"Earth to Mom, can you read me?" Snow chuckled.

Regina laughed along, "Yeah I can. But I was lost inside my own head."

"Clearly; I've been calling you for the past 2 minutes. Is everything alright?" Snow asked, as she glanced at Regina's phone in her hand.

"Yeah," Regina sighed, and she turned the phone around so Snow can read what's on the screen.

The concern in Snow's eyes was quickly replaced by sympathy, and she wrapped her arms around Regina before resting her head on her shoulder. Regina leaned into Snow's embrace, and tried to keep the tears at bay.

"Are you gonna tell Ariel?" Snow asked gently.

"It's tomorrow not today, so I think I'll wait till then. It's been quite a day for her." Regina answered, "Where is she?" she asked.

"Still talking with Henry in your room. I called the school and got his stuff for him and he said he'll work on them. I also called Charming and he said they got George, who is now locked up along with his thug. He has August watching him at the station till we figure out what we're gonna do with him."

Regina nodded, with her eyes still closed, "You should get some sleep, Snow. I'm sure you're still reeling from the chloroform." She gently advised, rubbing Snow's arm.

"Yeah, I was on my way to bed. You should get some sleep too." Snow smiled gently.

"I will. But Henry and Ariel are currently occupying the room." She chuckled.

"Well, I'll see you later." Snow kissed Regina gently, and made her way back upstairs.

Regina stayed in her place until she heard the door to Snow's room close, before she went to the hallway mirror and took it with her to the study. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had to make sure she did this right. She kept looking at the mirror for a while to make sure that she remembers how to get it to show the scenes but for her eyes and ears only; so that if Henry or Ariel surprise her, they don't see what she's seeing.

She carefully touched the mirror's rippling surface, and watched as the rippling faded into one scene after the other. She was gawking at the mirror and her tears were flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't believe her eyes or her ears; and she could feel her heart constrict at the images she was seeing.

Regina was sobbing silently by the time the mirror returned to normal. She kept looking in the general direction of her bedroom, where she knew her daughter was. It took her a few moments until she was able to calm down, before she got up and put the mirror back in the hallway. She walked up the stairs slowly. She gently opened the door to Emma's room and found her sound asleep, same for Snow. The sounds of laughter coming from her room, lifted her mood a bit and warmed her heart, and she couldn't help but smile. She made her way over to the room and opened the door, and stood there watching Ariel and Henry as they rolled in bed, laughing and giggling together, as Ariel kept tickling Henry's stomach. She couldn't help the proud tears; and she figured they would be a nice excuse to why her face is tear-stained.

It seemed that Henry noticed her standing in the doorway, since he cried through his laughter, "MOM, a little help here."

Regina laughed and decided to save her son from his big sister's claws. She walked over to the bed and Henry jumped into her arms. She wrapped her arms around him protectively and giggled at her daughter's playful pout, "No fair. Now I can't touch you."

"I know" Henry gloated with a toothy grin at his sister.

Regina kissed the side of his head softly, as she sat down and leaned onto the head board of the bed.

Ariel had her legs stretched up the head board as she lay down on her back. Her face was exhausted and she had red cheeks, but she was genuinely happy nonetheless. That was until she caught the look in her mother's eyes, and her face immediately contorted in concern.

Regina was watching her daughter intently, and couldn't get the images that she just saw out of her head. It was like they were playing in her head in slow motion, along with what she was seeing right now. Her daughter's genuinely happy face, and the smile that threatened to split her face in half. She saw the concern appear on her daughter's face, but shot her a warning look before she asks. And it seemed that Ariel understood that her mother doesn't want to talk in front of Henry.

"Mom?" Henry's voice was muffled by Regina's arms.

"Yes." She still savored the title when it came from any of them.

"I didn't want to say this in front of grandma so that I don't hurt her feelings; but I never thought about looking for my birth mother until I found out about the curse. I didn't care before because you were my mom and I loved you and you were great. And even after I found her, I didn't want her to take me and leave, not just because of the curse, but because I didn't want to leave you." He spoke quickly and in one breath.

Regina smiled into his hair, before pressing her mouth into it and kissed him, "Thank you, sweetheart." She mumbled into his hair.

Henry tightened his arms around her in response, before lifting his head and pressing a kiss on her cheek. Regina leaned into his kiss, and couldn't help the happy tears that fell.

"I love you, mom" he said softly, as he rested his forehead against her jawline.

"I love you too." She tearfully answered him. And he could feel her tears on his head.

"I'm gonna go finish my home and schoolwork, and you two get some sleep." he said as he let go of Regina, instantly missing her warmth.

"You won't get some sleep?" Ariel asked him.

"No, I'm not sleepy. They didn't drug me, they threatened to hurt grandma, so I went willingly." He answered, shuffling over to her and throwing himself on top of her.

"Sweet dream sis." He mumbled into the sheets.

"Thanks, sweetie." She gave him a final squeeze before he got up.

Regina was smiling at the interaction, especially at what he called Ariel.

"Sweet dreams mom." He chirped as he skipped over to the door and closed it behind him.

"Thanks sweetheart." She smiled warmly at him and watched as he left.

She looked back at Ariel and saw her getting up to face her, "So now that he's gone; what's wrong?" her voice was filled with concern and love, that Regina couldn't help but smile and gently stroke her cheek.

"You have a heart of gold, you know that?" her voice was gentle, but she choked up a bit at the last word as the tears rose to her eyes again.

Ariel furrowed her eyebrows at her mother's words, and her concern and confusion only grew when she saw her mother's tears.

"Hey," she said gently as she moved to hug her mother, "where is all of this coming from?" she added.

Regina wrapped her arms around her daughter and buried her face into her neck, "I saw the day you found out that you were mine." She tearfully declared.

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**Well here's the next chapter everyone; hope you all like it and can't wait for your reviews and feedback.**

**To Diejj, sorry for keeping you up till now ;)**

**the next chapter might be what Ariel and Henry talked about, but i'm not sure yet. **


	33. The Truth Is Out There And It Hurts

**To Katward00, well I guess since they both froze in time, she kind of is. Regina was 22 when she had Ariel, so….Glad you liked it hun, and I hope that this is soon enough for you.**

**To carriemarrie78, never knew you were a patient person….certainly never showed :D and I'm sure you didn't like it…but thank you for waiting nonetheless :D**

**To Jason, please don't remind me of those 10 minutes….I'm pretty sure that I was reaching for the tissues faster than you were! Thankfully, this is MY story, so Regina doesn't lose it all. Glad you liked it and you might need tissues for this chapter too.**

**To Dakota Kent, anytime hun. I needed something too. Poor Regina indeed…the writers better correct that!**

**To Gizela, it appears that everyone agree to hate last night's episode's ending! And I am on board. Anyways, you are in good company…my mind is an analytical b*** too that I sometimes predict some of the storylines! And it irritates my best friend because I blabber to her about it and ruin the surprise for her. Anyways, I love analyzing how they act, which is why I'm so mesmerized by Regina, Rumple and Hook. These three characters in my eyes are the hardest to play and require the most work, along with Cora of course. No matter how much I hate her. And yes this was sort of the perfect antidote…even I went back to read it after the episode :D hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**To Ann, sorry for the wait but this is as soon as I could get it.**

**To Metope, well I was planning on letting you know what happened through Ariel and Regina's conversation, but since you all want to know what happened, this chapter is going to be the memory. Glad that you liked it and thanks for the review.**

**This chapter is the memory of the day Ariel found out she was Regina's, the next will be Ariel and Regina talking.**

**Also, when I upload the chapter onto the doc manager and review it, some sentences and words aren't there, and even after I put them and post the chapter, they disappear again. Does anybody know how to fix this problem? Because I can't keep taking down the chapters and replacing them 5 times before the site gets it right. **

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_10 year old Ariel swam around the cave, gathering various nick-nacs and throwing them into a bag. She was humming as she swam around, excitement almost bouncing off of her skin. Her long wavy locks were gathered up in an elegant bun, and her bangs kept in place by a piece of hair jewelry. _

"_Sweetheart, where are you going?" Athena asked gently, as she and Triton came into the cave._

"_Ashore; I haven't seen Red in 3 weeks. I'm just getting a few things that we can play with." She announced happily._

_Athena's face clouded with worry, and the pain of knowing she will have to disappoint her daughter._

_Triton wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, "it's for her own good." He whispered gently._

_Athena nodded solemnly and swallowed the lump in her throat, "sweetheart, you can't go ashore."_

"_Why?" Ariel asked simply, not even sparing a glance towards her parents._

_Triton sighed loudly, "Darling, we talked about this. You can't go ashore because of Cora." He gently explained._

"_Dad, it's been 3 weeks. I'm sure she forgot all about me now." Ariel's excitement wasn't deterred and her voice was gentle and reassuring._

_Triton and Athena were growing frustrated rapidly; they wanted their baby safe and she was incredibly stubborn. Telling her that Cora was a threat wasn't enough to get her to listen to them._

"_We can't take that chance." Triton stated gently, yet firmly._

"_Daaad," she whined, and put her infamous baby face and most dashing smile on –the ones that they were never able to resist- before she swam over to them, "it's been 3 weeks. Why would Cora care about some mermaid? I live in the sea, and she lives up there. And since I stayed away for a while, she probably thinks I'm too weak for her to bother with me. I'm sure she doesn't even remember me by now." She finished, before she swam back to the shelves._

"_What if she does?" Athena gently begged, "Sweetheart, she could hurt you."_

"_No she can't. Why would she care about who I am, or about hurting me? As long as I stay out of her way, she won't bother me. I mean I …."_

"_Cora is your grandmother!" Athena's growing frustration with her stubborn daughter caused the words to just spill out, before she had a chance to stop them._

"_ATHENA!" Triton yelled in a scolding tone._

_Ariel whipped her head around and stared at her mother; her eyes were the size of Jupiter from the surprise, and her mouth wide open. They watched as she opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to come up with words. Her eyes were shifting between them both, frantically searching their faces for some signs of deceit; and they saw the realization in her eyes, as the pieces of the puzzle started falling into place._

_Ariel's mind went numb at her mother's words, she was hoping against all odds that she heard wrong; that her mother did NOT just say that she was related to this monster. Her mother's words kept bouncing around in her skull, until it finally clicked in her head. If Cora was her grandmother that means..._

"_If Cora is my grandmother, then Regina…" she chocked on the last 2 letters. Tears were already flowing down her cheeks, and her chest was starting to heave as her breath became labored._

_Athena gently nodded, and swam a bit towards her daughter; only for Ariel to back away._

_Ariel was shaking her head vigorously; 'this can't be happening, this isn't real', she kept thinking._

_"NO, her baby DIED" Ariel screamed through her tears._

"_No baby. Her mother lied to her." Triton gently told her, since Athena couldn't find her voice at the moment._

_Ariel's breathing became even more erratic and she let herself fall onto one of the rocks that lined the floor of the cave._

"_Those weren't dreams, were they?" she choked out, although it seemed more of a statement than a question._

_Athena and Triton traded looks, silently deciding what to say. Their silent conversation was interrupted by their daughter's pain filled cry, "WERE THEY?"_

_They looked over at her; and seeing the look of pure pain and silent plea in her eyes, they knew they couldn't lie to her; that it wasn't the right thing to do._

"_No, they were memories." Athena whispered._

_A sob escaped Ariel's lip, and it tore through both her parents' hearts. They hated seeing her in pain, even more at their hands._

"_You lied to me. To HER" she all but screamed the last word._

"_Sweetheart, we didn't have a choice." Triton tried to reason with his frantic daughter._

"_She was SCREAMING, Dad-SCREAMING- over ME. She thought I was dead, and she was screaming and praying that by some miracle I would come back to life. She's been living for 10 years thinking that I died that day; all the while I am living blissfully down here." Ariel sobbed._

"_We thought that she knew you were alive, and that she gave you up to protect you. We learned the truth after she married King Leopold, and by then it was too late, and too dangerous." Athena quickly explained._

"_Too late for what? And too dangerous how? You could've told her that I am alive, but kept me here for my own protection." Ariel's breathing was a bit more regular now, but she was still crying._

"_By the time we learned the truth you were about 4 months old, and you already looked so much like her, that a blind man can tell that you were hers. And she wanted you with her; if she learned the truth about you, she would have wanted you." Athena's voice was barely a tad over a whisper, "that would have had dire consequences on her. She was married to the King; and he may be a fair and just king, and an incredible father, but his heart belonged to his first wife. He never loved your mother, and she was nothing more than a glorified nanny to Snow. If he had known that she had a baby from someone else before she married him, and that she lied about it…."Athena trailed off, trying to think of a gentle way to finish that sentence._

"_He would've killed her." Ariel stated through her tears._

"_No, honey, not kill her. But probably banish her, and even make sure that you are taken away. We thought about masking your real age, and maybe have her lie and pretend that you were Leopold's. We would take the spell away slowly and no one will know; but that spell only works if it is cast before the baby is 3 months old, and you were already closing in on 5. We tried every scenario, and none of them had a good ending. You always ended up separated from her, and it was far more cruel than this." Triton explained._

"_At least she would have known that I was alive, even if I'm not with her." Ariel pleaded._

"_It was far too dangerous, she wouldn't have listened to the voice of reason. And Cora would have kept trying to kill you. This seemed like the better option to keep you both safe." Athena reasoned._

_Ariel looked at her parents, and they both felt their hearts shatter at the amount of pain and confusion in her eyes. The memory of her mother screaming in pain over her loss was flashing before her eyes; the way her voice sounded so desperate kept echoing in her head. She kept looking at her parents in disbelieve; they knew all along that those dreams were memories, and they didn't tell her. They knew all along that she was alive, and they didn't tell Regina. _

"_Ariel, please say something." Athena gently pleaded with her daughter._

"_I...She...You...__She never even got a chance to hold me." Ariel's voice was so small, broken and filled with pain; and it tore through Athena's heart seeing her daughter in this state, especially with the knowledge that it was her fault._

"_I know baby." She gently stroked Ariel's cheeks, and the look of disbelieve in her eyes felt like a stab in the gut._

"_Do you mom? You freak out at the mere **thought** of something happening to me, and it is her **reality**." Ariel knew that this wasn't Athena's fault-not that much anyways- but she was frustrated and she was lashing out. Her parents just happened to be in her way._

"_Ariel." Triton gently called her, and her eyes shifted slowly to where he was._

"_I need to be alone." She whispered._

_Athena sighed, and rubbed her daughter's arms, before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. She didn't want to leave her in such a state, but she also knew that when Ariel made her mind about something, there is no arguing. _

_Triton bent over and kissed the top of Ariel's head, before they both swam out of the cave._

_As soon as she sensed them far enough, she bolted out of the opening in the ceiling of the cave, and swam as fast as she could to shore. When her feet touched the sand, she started running towards the forest. By the time the clouds that were collecting in the sky started to rain, she was already deep inside the forest. Her emotions were starting to affect the weather, and she didn't care. The sea started roaring with high waves, and the sky thundered as it sent angry lightning bolts towards the unsuspecting people on earth._

_Ariel suddenly stopped, and leaned against the trunk of a tree. She was soaking wet and her hair was stuck to her face, and her dress to her legs and body. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and with every tear she shed, lightning struck and thunder roared. She suddenly fumed out._

* * *

_She reappeared in a dark place, where she fell to the ground and broke down into quiet sobs. She had her back rested against a wooden wall, and her knees were brought up to her chest. Her tear-stained face, and tear-filled eyes eyes sparkled in the silver light of the lightning. Her head suddenly snapped up at the sound of a loud bang._

"_DANIEL!" Regina's voice came from somewhere behind Ariel._

_Ariel froze in her place in the corner of one of the stable cubicles. She curled even more around herself, to make sure her mother doesn't spot her. It took everything in her to not jump into her mother's arms. _

_Since the storm was her doing, she made sure that the lightning won't give away her position. She sat there quietly and listened to her mother's tearful rant, interrupted only by the sounds of gentle sobs and sniffles._

"_I miss you. It's been almost 11 years since that day, and the day seems just as fresh. I tried to let it go and move on, but everything seems to be going against it. And on nights like these, it just reminds me even more of the love I'll never feel again. Leopold is kind and gentle, but he doesn't love me. His heart belongs to his first wife; I'm just there for Snow's sake. And the way he treats me makes me feel like a glorified nanny."_

_Ariel's anger and pain were gradually increasing with each word her mother said; and at the last sentence, it skyrocketed. She already knew that part, but hearing it from Regina was different; especially at the amount of pain in Regina's voice. A loud crack of thunder tore through the night, and the angry lightning lit the skies, reflecting the pain and anger Ariel felt._

_Regina was startled at that, "God, I hate thunder storms. And this is one of the worst I've ever seen. I used to sneak out of my bed on nights like these and crawl in next to you. I haven't felt that safety since….since I lost our daughter. She used to kick like crazy on nights like these, letting me know that she's there with me; that I'm not alone." Regina sobbed._

_Ariel turned her head slightly, and saw her mother's tearstained face. She tried to get her emotions under control, and gradually calmed down the roaring skies and wind._

"_Her birthday is next week; she would have been 10 had she lived. I try to imagine what she would have been like; what she looks like, and how she sounds. My only consolation is that she's with you right now." Regina continued, completely oblivious to her daughter sitting less than 5 feet away from her. _

_It took everything in Ariel, not to jump out of her hiding spot and run into her mother's arms. She knew Regina would recognize her immediately. But she also knew that if she did, dire consequences will befall her mother._

"_God, I miss her. I never even got a chance to hold her, or even look at her. I miss you both." _

_Another lightning bolt tore through the sky and lit the long abandoned stables. Regina jumped at the loud roar of thunder that followed, and Ariel curled her hand into a fist in an effort to get the storm under control._

_Regina let out a tearful chuckle, "I think she was conceived on one of those nights. And even though the angry thunder and fierce lightning mirror how I feel, I still find myself terrified of them. Even more now, since you are no longer here, and neither is she." Her voice cracked on the last sentence, and she started sobbing. _

_Ariel closed her eyes, and slowly the rain stopped and the storm started to clear. The clouds were still there, but there was no more thunder and lightning._

"_Wow, I guess the dead do look out for the living." She exclaimed, "Take care of her Daniel. I love you both more than anything." She finished between her sobs, before she walked out of the stables._

_Ariel sat in silence for a few minutes, before she fumed out of there._

* * *

_Athena went into her daughter's room, and found Ariel lying on her side with her back towards the entrance._

"_Ariel." she gently called._

"_Yes." Ariel's voice was small._

_Athena swam over to her daughter's bed and sat on it. Ariel still had her back to her, and she gently smoothed her daughter's locks onto the pillow._

"_Where did you go?" _

"_The stables."_

"_Why?" _

_Ariel just shrugged, " I don't know. To calm down I guess."_

"_Sweetheart, I'm sorry you had to find out like this. We were gonna wait until you're older; maybe by then Leopold would have been dead, and Regina would have been queen, and you would have been able to go to her. But Cora getting suspicious of a mermaid left us no choice. I know that you're confused and hurt, but…." Athena's rant was interrupted by Ariel._

"_I thought she sold me." She whispered._

"_What? Why would you think that?" Athena asked, shock and confusion evident in her voice._

"_I was born fully human mom. It doesn't take that much wit to know how I came to the sea. I thought she made some deal with Rumplestiltskin over me."_

"_Oh, Honey. That never happened. You mother loved you very much, and she wanted you with all her heart. But Cora….had other plans."_

"_I know."_

"_I thought you might want this back." Athena said._

_Ariel turned around, and found Athena dangling the locket in front of her._

"_You kept it all this time?" Ariel asked, surprised, as she took the locket from Athena._

"_Yeah, I knew that you will want it back when you find out the truth about your mother." Athena explained._

"_Thank you." Ariel whispered._

"_Anytime baby." Athena said, as she leaned forward and kissed Ariel's forehead._

"_I still need some time though." Ariel declared._

"_I understand." and with that Athena left Ariel lying on the bed._

_Ariel kept looking at the locket for a few moments, before she opened it. Regina's voice floated through the water, as it sang. Ariel's eyes filled with tears and she turned back onto her side, and placed the locket on the pillow next to her. A few minutes later, she drifted off into sleep._

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx**

**Here's what Regina saw in the mirror. Hope you all like it and the next chapter will be Ariel and Regina discussing it. **

**Let me know what you think, and keep in mind that the faster the reviews come, the faster the next chapter is uploaded. :D I might post again tomorrow. **

**Hope you all enjoy it and please R&R.**


	34. Oh Mom

**To Ann, I'm glad you think so hun. I won't put you guys through another long wait, because I'm trying to finish the story before the 20****th****. And I hope that this is soon enough :D.**

**To Metope, yes I know. I sort of went back and forth on that part, deciding whether to write it or not, so I'm glad you liked it. **

**To KatWard00, ask and you shall receive :D.**

**To Maddy, the genre of the story is hurt/family/comfort so action is not the main element, I will put it in but when it is called for. The sentimental fluff is part of the package, and like I said before the action will come. So I'm sorry to disappoint.**

**To Percabeth4ever, it's alright, glad to hear from you again. Yes they are all back, we'll see what the writers have in store for us. As for Emma, this story is about Regina, so Emma will be there but not as a main character. There won't be a chapter dedicated to her or anything, but she is coming back next chapter.**

**To Jason, I warned you that you will need tissues :D. Of course they love her, they raised her. Just like Regina raised Henry. And I will see what I can do about Triton and Athena meeting Regina.**

**To babygirlminds, you got it hun! :D**

**To carriemarrie78, it doesn't get sooner than this. Congrats on your license and as long as you don't read/text and drive, I am perfectly content with the lack of reviews. :D**

**To Gizela, high five! Well, I don't use codes or anything I just waltz in and tell her what I think; and she will have my head on a platter if I turn out to be right about Regina having a daughter :D and ruin the surprise for her yet again.**

**As for Cora, I think that there is more to her story and yes she is consistent throughout her acting, but it can't be this easy playing a character this dark. Especially when she is hurting Regina. And Hook is more complex than it is showing. Sometimes he is the gentleman, and sometimes you want to punch him in the face. But of course, Rumple and Regina are the BEST! And don't even get me started on Colin's good looks! The scene with both him and Regina in the last episode had me gawking at the screen! **

**As for Ariel, in this story Regina enacted the curse 20 years after she met Snow. And Ariel's maturity is based on both the Disney's version of the Little Mermaid and the fact that at the time, 10 years old was considered a young adult, as well as Henry. He is 10 and he is mature beyond his age. And I didn't think of it as maturity as much as it's sensitivity. She knew if she showed herself to Regina, that Regina will get hurt! Glad you liked the chapter and hope you enjoy this one.**

* * *

Ariel jolted back from her mother's arms,and stared at her wide-eyed from the shock, "Y…you…s…saw it?!" she stuttered, praying against all odds that her mother only saw her outburst with her parents, NOT what came after.

Regina nodded solemnly, already knowing what her daughter's next words would be.

"Why?" Ariel asked. Her voice was barely audible, and Regina easily spotted the held back tears and the lump she was trying to swallow.

"I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story than what you told me, and I know that you told Snow that you stayed away because of my mother; but it didn't make any sense. You were more than capable of handling her. And you said it more than once that you made sure no one who knows me lay eyes on you; even after you knew she was out of the picture; so there had to be another reason. But I never expected this. " Regina sobbed, gesturing with her hand towards the general direction of the hallway mirror.

Ariel's head was spinning, and she was worried that her heart would be crushed to dust inside her chest from the amount of emotions she was feeling. Her mother _saw_ what happened! Why couldn't she just leave it alone?! But again, Athena could always tell when Ariel was holding back on her, so why not Regina? It's true that she didn't raise her; but she was still her mother. And as everybody she ever met pointed out, they were too much alike.

Her mother's tears tore through her heart, and shredded it to pieces. How the hell was she supposed to handle this? Her mother would feel guilty, and it would take ages to get rid of. She was even scared that she will start resenting Snow and Leopold again. But as she looked into her mother's eyes, she saw no resentment towards anyone; she only saw guilt, remorse and raw pain; the pain of having her daughter right under her nose and yet so far away at the same time. She didn't want her mother to know that she felt guilty about almost everything; and she didn't want her to be in pain either. And she most importantly did NOT want her blaming Snow or Leopold.

She was pulled back to reality by her mother's touch as she cupped her cheek. She put her hand on top of her mother's and rubbed her thumb against its back. She only now realized that she was crying; though she wasn't sure over _which part exactly!_

Regina took a hold of her daughter's hands and studied her face closely. Ariel's eyes were wide from the shock, and pain, she realized. She cupped her face with one hand, and rubbed her thumb gently on Ariel's cheeks, to wipe away the tears.

Ariel visibly swallowed, and blinked a few times to clear her vision, "how much did you see?"

"Until Athena gave you back the locket." Regina's voice was gentle, yet choked.

Ariel could feel the air leaving her lungs when she heard her mother's words. 'She saw _everything!_' she was still at a loss for words. She knew the amount of pain her mother was in, so she just moved back into her arms.

Regina desperately clung to her daughter, trying to comprehend what she saw. She buried her face in her hair, and gently tangled her fingers in her wavy ebony locks; her other arm was around Ariel's torso. She felt Ariel's tears soaking through the silk fabric, and her fingers clutching the sleeve of her pajama top tightly. She rocked them both for a few moments, until she felt her daughter loosen her grip. She allowed her to sit straight, but still had her arm around her torso and the other cupping her cheek.

"Go ahead, ask away." Ariel told her mother gently, and gave her a watery smile.

Regina smiled back at her daughter, and used her thumb to wipe the falling tears. She was feeling guilty over the amount of pain she is seeing in her eyes; but she needed to know. She knew that Ariel was feeling guilty for not breaking Cora's hold on her sooner, and she knew that she had to take that pain and guilt away. And for that to happen, she needs to know EXACTLY what happened in her daughter's life, and what happened _that_ day. Some of the things they said were a bit vague.

"You mentioned something about dreams, and Athena said they were memories." She started and saw recognition in her daughter's eyes, "and something about me screaming" she finished softly.

Ariel sighed when she heard her mother's words, somehow she knew she would ask about that, and she also knew what it will do to her mother.

"I was about 6 the first time it happened. I woke up screaming that a woman was trying to rip my heart out." she started, and saw how her mother visibly swallowed. She hated the amount of pain her mother was feeling but she also knew that she had to know, "Mom told me that it was just my overactive imagination. They hadn't told me the 'scary stories' yet; figured I was too young. They told me to just remember that it was all a dream, and to fight it off. But it felt so real, and I woke up almost every night screaming for about a month." Ariel added, and paused to let her mother absorb all that she said.

Regina's chest felt like it was about to explode, she hated herself to great lengths at the moment. She hated that she wasn't there to ease her daughter's fears and nightmares; that she wasn't there to protect her from her mother and prevent those nightmares in the first place. She thought that this was all, but nothing prepared her to what Ariel said next.

"One night I woke up saying that I saw her rip the heart of a man." Ariel started, hoping that her mother would get the point. But when Regina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, she continued, "I saw her killing Dad." And with that Regina felt her heart stop. She stared at her daughter wide-eyed with horror.

"Oh my God!" she whispered, and tightened her hold on Ariel's hand.

Ariel kept caressing Regina's knuckles, and gave her a small smile before she continued, "It gave them a way out; a way to explain the other dream about Cora. That instead of seeing Dad's murder in the third person point of view, I somehow saw it in the first person's. But it still didn't make any sense to me."

"Why?" Regina asked gently. Both of them had tears running down their cheeks and they had long given up on trying to stop them.

"Because it felt too real; the way she was looking at me, her anger at failing, and I could feel something weird on my chest. And besides, she never succeeded in killing me in them, but she succeeded with Dad. But mom said that I couldn't exactly die in the dream, otherwise I would die in real life. But then I started dreaming that I am in Cora's arms, except this time she's not trying to rip my heart out. She's just rushing with me out of a room, and I can hear a woman screaming for her to bring me back."

Regina closed her eyes, the memory of Ariel's birth playing in her mind. It was one thing to know that Ariel _heard _about what happened from one of her parents, or even _saw_ it in the water; but _remembering! _That was an entirely different story. She felt Ariel running her thumb over her knuckles, so she pried her eyes open, and smiled gently at her. "Keep going." She said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Once again mom said it was my overactive imagination; that I was imagining the scene where you lost your daughter. But yet again I didn't buy it. I felt your pain and despair; and I even felt like I wanted to go to you. I think I even tried, but Cora took me away. That dream in particular kept getting more vivid every time I had it, but I never saw your face. They were becoming less frequent with time, but they never went away. I always had the one about my birth whenever I compared between you and my birth mother before I went to sleep."

Regina pushed some of her daughter's hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, before gently stroking her cheek, earning a small watery smile from her daughter.

"And you stayed away because of Leopold." Regina stated.

"Um….yeah. One of Dad's powers is that he can sort of see the outcome of different scenarios; no details though. So he checked every possible scenario where we tell you the truth about me, with different circumstances, and all of them ended badly; either with you dead, or in exile. And no I wasn't with you either. You kept me in the sea to save me from Leopold, and you took the entire blame onto yourself. So since in all cases, I wasn't going to be there with you, we left it the way it is to spare you the punishment." Ariel explained.

"And once again you were protecting me, when I'm the one who is supposed to protect you!" Regina chocked out.

"Mom, don't." Ariel pleaded gently. She sat beside her mother, and put her head in the crook of Regina's arm. She still had the other hand in hers and she kept caressing the knuckles, "You didn't know that I was there to protect. And it's not your fault. Cora took me away, and then living in the sea effectively blocked me from you. Don't blame yourself for any of this; it is not your fault." She assured her mother gently, yet firmly.

"You were right under my nose and I didn't even sense you there." she whispered.

"Yes you did." Ariel said, as she angled her neck to look into her mother's eyes.

Regina furrowed her eyes in confusion.

"On my birthday, I was there at the stables too. Remember what you said?"

Regina was silent for a moment trying to remember that day, until it finally came to her.

Ariel smiled when she saw that Regina remembered, "You said 'it feels like you're here'. You felt me there, but thought it was your mind playing tricks on you, or something."

Regina smiled down at her, "What did I ever do in this life to deserve you?"

"Well, you became the Evil Queen, and tried on numerous occasions to destroy Snow's life," Ariel joked to lighten the mood, and when Regina started laughing she added, "And last but not least, cast a curse and brought them all here. So I think you deserve me as punishment."

Regina was genuinely laughing at her daughter's words, and pulled her further into her arms before she kissed her forehead, "that's the best punishment ever" she said, resting her chin on top of Ariel's head.

"Just don't resent Snow and Leopold again, okay?" Ariel mumbled against Regina's chest.

Regina noted that Ariel's voice held no resentment or even anger, just love and the fear of losing her mother, "None of this is Snow's fault. And considering the fact that I sort of killed Leopold, I guess I really don't get to talk."

"You're not Cora, Mom. The fact that you feel bad about the things you did proves that; the fact that you put Henry first and DID NOT just hand him over to Emma so you would just keep the curse intact proves it too. The fact that you were willing to change for him also proves it. Yes, it may have been a bit late, but at least you did." Ariel's tone left no room for argument, and Regina smiled at her daughter's decisiveness. She pressed her mouth to her ebony locks, and rubbed Ariel's back lovingly.

"And the locket?" Regina mumbled into her hair, steering the conversation back.

"Well, according to them, it was the only thing that put me to sleep for the first 2 years of my life. Later on, they only used it when I would get overly upset about something. When I started having those nightmares and drawing comparisons between you and my mysterious birth mother, I gave the locket to Mom and told her that I don't want it anymore. I had put the pieces together that I was probably the price of a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, so I decided that I didn't want anything from my mother. She gave it back to me that day, and I haven't taken it off since." Ariel felt her mother smile into her hair, and she snuggled up more into her.

"You know that you don't have to wear it anymore, right?" she asked, as she gently stroked her hair.

"Yeah, but I want to."

Regina moved a bit so she can wrap her arms around Ariel properly. She felt her warm breath tickling her neck, and her hair rub against her neck and upper chest as Ariel rubbed her head against her mother's body.

"We need to get some sleep." she said gently.

And with that, they both slid under the covers. Mother and daughter wrapped in each other's arms, and it wasn't long before they both drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

**Here's the next chapter. Since there is no show tonight, I figured I don't have to be cruel too. Let me know what you think. Please R&R**


	35. Long Awaited Realizations And Concerns

**To secretballetdancer, I see you are a new comer, so welcome. I'm glad you like the story and thank you for the review.**

**To Jason, why thank you sir :D. Glad you liked it and yes, Ariel is there to give Regina the love she so very much deserves, and way overdue.**

**To Ann, I'm glad. Here's the next one.**

**To Gizela, first off, you nearly got me fired xD. I was at work and my phone showed an email with the review. I was laughing so hard that I nearly got caught. Moreover, the email didn't show the entire review so I had to go to the site and read the rest of it. So remind me NEVER to read your reviews at work again. **

**Second of all, yes I know when I realized that I was like 'how the hell am I gonna pull that off?' which is why I try to update daily now. If I don't finish it by the 20****th**** then you guys will be left stranded without a single new chapter for almost a month! So I'm guessing finishing in 10 days doesn't sound so bad now, huh? xD and I can't exactly keep the story going forever, can I? ;) **

**Third of all, you can start with the psychology stuff all you want, am a nut for it too. I was just telling my roommate yesterday, that Regina is the classic case of child abuse, with MAGIC!**

**Well, luckily she doesn't mind it that much because we come up with crazy theories together, and the show never fails to amaze us both.**

**And yea I thought she was gonna kiss him, I think I was actually saying it to the screen. But I love his acting, or maybe just the good looks ;) :P. Anyways, I want more scenes with these two :D.**

**Well, Regina was 22 when she had Ariel, and Ariel was 18 when Leopold died, so you do the math :D, cause I hate math :P. And Snow got married late because of Regina trying to destroy her life :D and also because it's kinda creepy that she would be younger than Emma. So she's 30 and Emma's 28 :D.**

**As for Ariel, well I guess I was using Henry for inspiration :D. and I love mother-daughter scenes.**

**More of what exactly? :D**

**To Metope, well she had her powers from the womb, and Regina was pregnant when Daniel died. And she always felt what her mother was feeling (look back at the storm she caused when Whale lied to Regina and she transformed). And because she was the key to saving Regina, she felt it through Regina and then it translated into a vision. And Cora will be popping in very soon, don't worry. I'm just laying down some ground work for her arrival and the hell it will bring with it. And yes, I know. She tried to protect her from it all, and Ariel knew it all along. And especially at such a young age too. It's okay that you were late, it gave me something to read while I'm waiting for my order and made me smile after a very exhausting day :D. thanks for the review and I always look forward to them.**

* * *

Emma's eyes fluttered open, and she rolled over onto her back. It took her a few seconds before her still asleep brain registered where she was. She had only spent two nights here and it was still foreign to her. She groaned as she stretched her sore muscles; it appears she was so exhausted that she slept in the exact same position the entire time. She glanced at her bedside clock, 3:30 PM. She rubbed her face a few times, before she finally flung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. She shuffled her feet over to the guest bedroom to use its bathroom; and was surprised to find the door closed. She frowned and opened it slowly. Her confusion and surprise deepened when she saw her mother tangled in the covers and fast asleep.

'what the heck is she doing home and _asleep_ no less at this hour?' she thought. She closed the door gently, and tiptoed to Henry's room to use his bathroom.

20 minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom with her hair still wet. She decided that she was far too exhausted to blow dry it and since she had no intention of going anywhere, there was really no point in doing it. She tiptoed to Regina's room, and smiled at the sight. Regina had Ariel trapped in her arms, and Ariel looked like a little girl, curled up against Regina's chest and tightly clenching her top.

She closed the door again, before she descended the stairs to the first floor. As she was nearing the end of the last flight, she heard the sound of keys fumbling in the door. She looked over towards the door in time to see her father walking in with bags of take out in his hand.

"Hey." She greeted.

David looked up at her, and a smile lit up his face, "Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I was out as soon as my head touched the pillow. I don't even know when did Regina and Ariel came, let alone Mom. Why is she sleeping upstairs? Is everything alright?" she furrowed her brows in confusion at the look her father gave her.

David's mind was racing, as he tried to come up with an answer. He was hoping that Snow and Regina would have explained things to her, sparing him the ordeal. But when he talked to Snow, she told him that Emma was asleep and that they made sure not to wake her; so he knew he was stuck with the unpleasant task. She was going to flip out, and frankly, Regina flipped out enough today for all of them. He smirked as he remembered the look of pure horror on Gold's face when he couldn't break out of Regina's hold, and when she thrust her hand into his chest. He couldn't help it, he hated the guy with gusto. And besides, he deserved it; for more than one reason that is.

"Dad?" Emma called her father, who seemed to be in La La land at the moment.

David could feel those butterflies in his stomach again, and was surprised at how that title still seemed to have the ability to knock the air out of his lungs, "Yes, sweetheart." He smiled at her.

"You haven't answered my question. And why were you smirking?" she asked.

"Well, uh….." he was still trying to come up with how to phrase what happened. He spent the entire day glaring at George and his thug, so he didn't really think of how to handle this. Snow was the words-smith, not him. Thankfully though, his grandson decided to come out of the study and save him.

"Hey Mom" Henry chimed in from behind her, skipping over and giving her a one armed hug.

"Hey, kid." She said with a genuine smile on her face, as she hugged him back.

Henry then turned to his grandfather-entirely oblivious to his mother's earlier question- and asked, "How are things with King George and his thug?"

"King George and his thug?" Emma asked confused. Her confusion deepened and was accompanied by worry when she saw her father visibly swallow, "What are you two talking about?"

"Uh-oh!" Henry exclaimed, earning a chuckle from his grandfather and a confused look from his mother.

"Let's go sit down and I'll fill you in." David said, motioning them to the living room "Just let me put those in the kitchen first." He added.

"You got take out?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, I figured Regina and Snow would be too exhausted to cook." David shot over his shoulder.

"I get why Regina would be exhausted, but why would mom?" Emma mumbled.

"Uuuuh, let's just wait for Grandpa." Henry stumbled over the words, earning him a suspicious look from Emma.

Before she could say anything else, David walked into the room, "Now, where were we?"

* * *

Emma was staring at her father, as if he'd sprung another head. She kept shifting her eyes between him and her son, praying that at any moment one of them will lose their resolve and start laughing and this will all be a prank. She even tried to use her 'super power' as she calls it, to see if they're lying. Her shock was subsiding, while her horror grew, as she realized that they were telling her the truth.

Her mind was going wild with thoughts, and yet they were all blurry. If he had succeeded, she would have lost her mother, _yet again_. Not to mention, that Henry would never be the same again. She would have been at a total loss and unable to comfort him, because she still doesn't know how. Before all it took was to play along with his imagination, but now they were in the real world and she would have been stuck and unable to comfort him. And Regina would have been of no help at all, seeing as she would have needed consoling herself. She felt her horror starting to take a back seat to her anger, and she knew that if she had possessed any kind of magical powers at the moment, those two would have ended up getting an open heart surgery from her, Cora style.

She looked back at her son and father, and found them both looking at her with worry. She was trying to find her voice, but couldn't. Not that it would've done much good anyways; her mind was still racing and the world was still spinning too fast for her to grasp onto anything and form a coherent thought. Thankfully she was saved from that incredibly difficult task -of actually having to say something- by her mother's voice.

"Hey you guys." Snow's cheerful voice broke through the tension in the living room, as she walked in.

Emma lifted her face to look at her mother, and Snow's brows furrowed in confusion at her daughter's blank expression. She looked over at her husband and grandson, and found them both wearing a look of anticipation on their faces.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, now officially concerned.

"We were filling her in on the events of this morning." Henry explained.

"Oh." Snow exclaimed, her face immediately showing the amount of sympathy she is feeling. She took a seat beside her daughter, and brushed some of Emma's hair out of her face.

"Why didn't you guys call me?" Emma finally asked.

"You would have freaked out, and I already had my hands full with one freaked out mother." David answered.

"Yeah, I dealt with Regina's panic once over Henry, _alone_. I can only imagine how she was, but I could have helped." Emma said.

"There was nothing you can do. You were asleep, and waiting for you to wake up and get dressed was not an option. And besides, it all happened too fast. And like I said, Regina and Ariel did most of the work. Especially Ariel; things would've had a very different ending if it wasn't for her." David explained.

"So now what? We can't send them across the border, which means we can't press charges." Emma declared.

"Well, they're in lock up at the moment, and August is watching them. He, Mulan and Hook will take shifts watching him with me, in addition to their actual shifts on the border and beach. The dwarfs will cover the forest and mines." David explained.

"Can't Regina use some hocus pocus to lock him up in an impenetrable dungeon?" Emma asked incredulously.

Snow and David giggled at their daughter's statement, and Henry shook his head, "Nop. This is dark magic, and I don't want her to use it again." He added. And Emma couldn't deny that he had a point. They can't exactly ask Regina to use dark magic when it's convenient for them.

"Too bad she doesn't already _have_ a dungeon." Snow stated

At that moment, a light bulb went off in Emma's head, "Yes she does." She declared. Seeing the confused looks her family had on their faces, she added, "beneath the library; where she kept Maleficent. I think if it held a dragon for 28 years, it can hold George and his thug." She explained.

"We can ask Mom when she wakes up." Snow reasoned.

David and Henry smiled at how easily Snow was calling Regina 'Mom'; especially David, having heard her referring to her as that back in their land. Even after everything, whenever they were alone, she never used her first name; she always called her 'Mom'. This only made him feel worse about all the plans to take out Regina, because he knew that it would hurt Snow like hell. Even though she tried to kill her once, but she was under a spell.

Henry was still finding it a bit weird that his _grandmother_ was calling his _mother_ 'Mom'. But he was happy that his mother was finally getting her happy ending. That she was surrounded by people who love her; and the fact that it would spite Cora was just added bonus.

They were both smiling at the sight before them. Emma had her head resting on Snow's shoulder, with Snow's arm wrapped around her, and her fingers running in her long blonde locks.

Even though Emma didn't say it out loud, all three knew that the thought of losing her mother again, after she just got her back was terrifying. So Snow gave her the reassurance to her silent fear, and she didn't mind having her daughter in her arms either.

This made her reflect on Regina's situation. With Emma, she never knew what she was missing out on. She was experiencing the pain in retrospect. But Regina lived for almost 50 years picturing her daughter's face and laugh, had she lived, knowing that it will never happen. She lived for 50 years believing that her daughter was dead, and that she will never be able to hold her. At least Snow got to hold Emma before she had David take her to the wardrobe. And she consciously gave her up, not had her ripped out of her. And she blissfully lived for 28 years unaware of anything. And even though she was experiencing the pain in retrospect, it wasn't as bad. Emma was here now, and she had her as a roommate for a few months before the curse broke. So she knew her pretty well by now. But Regina didn't have any of that. And Henry kept pushing her away and trying to get away from her; she had to go through the pain of losing another child. Moreover, she had to pretend to be happy in a loveless marriage. Snow wasn't blind or dumb. She knew her father never loved Regina, and that he only married her for Snow's sake, so in a way he hand in what happened too. She also knew that this fueled Regina's anger, frustration, despair, and most importantly, Cora's words. This only made her feel worse; she knew Regina was taking the blame full onto herself, which only further proves the amount of goodness in her heart. She subconsciously tightened her hold on Emma. The mere thought of Cora coming here scared her to death; she knew that she _**will **_try to destroy everything that Regina loves, which at this point not only means Henry and Ariel, but also Snow, David and Emma.

She didn't miss the amount of sympathy David had in his eyes as they told them what happened in the weeks they were gone, and how grateful Regina seemed that she didn't have to go through it all alone. She also didn't miss the look of worry David had when he saw Regina crying the morning after her talk with Ariel. She knew that in the three weeks of their absence, her husband and mother had resolved things. And judging by how Regina let loose with him on the dance floor the night before, she cared about him deeply. She also knew her husband well, and she didn't miss how protective he was of Regina. And even Emma was starting to feel comfortable around Regina, and even care about her well-being.

And even if it was just fear for each other's well-being, or actual love, she knew Cora wouldn't care. Anyone who holds any form of affection, remotely resembling love towards Regina has to go. And she knew that the only person that can stand up to her is Ariel; that the only way to stop Cora is to kill her. She really didn't want that day to arrive; she knew Ariel would do it to protect them all-especially Regina- but she also knew that it will hit her hard.

She was suddenly brought back to reality by a hand shaking her. She looked at her daughter, and realized that 3 pairs of eyes were staring at her.

"Yes?" her voice was a little husky, so she cleared her throat.

"You kind of spaced out on us there." David chuckled.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about things." She explained with a smile.

"What things? You cut off all blood supply in my shoulder" Emma declared playfully at her mother.

Snow laughed at her daughter's statement, "Sorry sweetheart, but I was just thinking about my earlier conversation with Mom, and when Cora popped in my head, I guess I subconsciously tightened my hold on you."

"What conversation?" David asked. He noted that Snow's tone was heavy when she mentioned the conversation.

Snow and Henry traded looks, before sighing and took turns telling Emma and David what happened.

"Can I please go rip Gold's heart out? And I need to slice and dice Cora." Emma snarled.

Snow chuckled, "Yeah, and I don't think that it will be enough either."

"It wont, but it's a start" Emma grumbled, earning another chuckle from Snow and the rest of them.

"They both really did a number on her, didn't they? I mean I've seen this before in abused children; which is what she basically is-an abused child- and I can now honestly say that what she did is _nothing_ compared to what she should have done" Emma continued her angry rant, "And after everything Cora did and all the new information that we now know, she still thinks she's the Evil Queen. I never thought I'd ever say this, but now I understand where Ariel gets her heart from."

"That is what is getting me worried. Cora only knows about Henry and Ariel; and that they are the people that Regina cares about more than anything. She doesn't know about this turn in events." Snow voiced her concern.

"Which means now we're all targets" David declared.

"And more people for Ariel to protect" Emma finished.

"This is not going to be easy" Henry exclaimed in horror.

All three adults looked at him trying to ease his fear, but they all knew that he was right. This wasn't going to be easy, and they just hoped that no one ends up hurt in the process.

* * *

**To all the Charming Family fans, here's a chapter about them.**

**I should warn you all that the fluff is going to last for one or two more chapters tops. So brace yourselves. **

**Let me know what you all think please. Hope you all enjoy.**


	36. Come Out Of The Ashes

**To Jason, it will be a battle of ages! I was planning it out in my head as I cooked today :D**

**To rebakathy, one of the things I hate about Snow in the show is that she seems too gullible at times, and sometimes she acts worse than Regina. She claims she's good, yet she turns around and sulks in revenge just like Regina did, so I'm changing that. And here is more fluff for you my lady before the action begins.**

**To carriemarrie78, doesn't get any sooner than this.**

**To Ann, yes I loved it too. I think Emma is starting to have it on the show. And don't worry my dear, action is coming very soon :D.**

**To Gizela, thankfully I wasn't at work. I was sick in bed and your review made me laugh so hard that I actually couldn't breathe! You're hilarious girl! I mean that thing you did with quoting lines just sent me in hysterics! I couldn't stop laughing for 10 minutes. And I'm laughing now as I remember them. And it is beyond amusing my dear ;)**

**As for how you planed my life for me :D well I can honestly say that usually on my days off, that this is what I normally do. And if I ever publish a book, you're so going in the dedication :D**

**Your French is more than excused, it was what I had in mind but I couldn't exactly write it just in case any underagers are reading this ;) but yea I am all for it. And I have no idea who Xenia is! The only one I know is Xena princess Warrior.**

**We are twins my dear, just not when it comes to math! We have to be different at something :D**

**And no I don't know more of what? :P**

**The first time I head the term La La land was from my English teacher and I've associated it with him ever since. And it still sends me in hysterics every time, especially that I remember when I first heard it :D**

**I didn't mean surrogate in that way, I meant like sort of an older sister. I'm a sap for family dynamics (if you haven't already figured it out :P ) so he's regarding her as his older sister, and that is that! :P I don't want any grieve about psychobabble :P**

**Don't worry, if she rips it out it's going right back in cause I like him too. **

**I want to know what happened to Cora too, but I don't think it was a child. I think the taken away child was Regina's. But I read some article where the writers said that things will be explained in this season, or at least we will get a glimpse of it.**

**You're getting greedy my dear ;) :P.**

* * *

Regina's mind was still foggy with sleep, but she was aware of her surroundings. She could hear muffled sounds in the room, and felt the empty bed next to her. She pried her eyes open and was met with the darkness of the room. She blinked a few times, to get rid of the sleeping fog that still clouded her vision, before she moved her head in the direction of the noise. She saw the door of the closet slightly ajar, with light peering from it. She looked at the bedside alarm, 7:15 PM. She got out of bed and walked over to her closet. She pushed the door open in time to see Ariel pulling a dark purple shirt over her head. She leaned against the frame and it creaked under her weight.

Ariel turned around and smiled at her mother, "Morning, sleeping beauty" she teased.

Regina chuckled at the remark, "I believe that's Aurora" she said with a smile.

"Not in the past few hours" Ariel retaliated, as she leaned forward and kissed Regina's cheek.

"Why is your hair wet?" Regina inquired.

"I just got out of the shower. I didn't shower properly this morning; I just washed off the salty water." Ariel explained, before pulling on her boots, err, Emma's boots that she's borrowing for the evening.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked confused.

"Ruby"

"Didn't David give her the hood? Why does she still want you there?"

Ariel smiled warmly at her mother, and Regina could feel her heart melt inside her chest. She watched as Ariel got up and walked over to her. She knew her daughter saw the worry in her eyes, and she knew it was irrational and kind of selfish that she doesn't want Ariel to go; but she couldn't help it.

Ariel took her mother's hands into hers and put them against her chest, right over her heart. Regina's eyes snapped to where her hands lay over her daughter's heart. The scene where her mother tried to rip said heart out flashed before her eyes; along with the scene of Daniel's murder. Her daughter's steady heartbeat against her hand assured her that it _really_ was there, where it belongs, safe and sound. And that unless she reaches in and rips it out now; it should remain as such. She lifted her eyes and was met with her daughter's loving ones.

"King George and his thug are locked up; Rumplestiltskin won't hurt me because he wants Cora gone as much as we all do. Ruby will wear the hood, but I will be there as extra precaution; we still have no idea what rules do and don't apply here when it comes to magic. I will be back as soon as the sun comes up, and I will be once again safely asleep in your arms." Ariel assured her mother gently, and was rewarded with a warm smile from Regina, "I know" she whispered.

"But you can't go out with your hair like this, you'll catch a cold." She added.

"I woke up an hour ago and I took longer than expected eating and showering, and I have to meet Ruby at the diner at 8. Granny packed us a few snacks for the night; and it's already 7:30 so I don't have time. I'll use Snow's hat and it should be fine."

"No, I'll do it. It won't take as long if I'm the one doing it and if you're a few minutes late, nothing will happen. Ruby won't be a danger till 9" Regina reasoned, as she pulled her in the direction of the couch. She turned on the lights, before fetching the hair drier from the bathroom and plugging it in.

She sat on the couch, and Ariel sat on the floor between her legs. When she started separating her daughter's hair into sections so she can dry it, she was flooded with memories of how she used to do Snow's hair growing up. And scenes of the 'what if' if Ariel had grown up with her sprung to mind. She was surprised at how easily Ariel's hair responded to the drier and dried up almost immediately, 'must be the mermaid thing' she thought to herself.

They were sitting in comfortable silence, with the only sound being the noise from the drier. Regina was lost in thought; there were a few things left unsaid in their conversation earlier this morning; mainly because Regina saw how exhausted Ariel looked and didn't want to keep her up any further, but these things had to be said.

"Ariel" she gently called.

"Hmm."

"You said that you were in the stables on your 10th birthday"

"Yeah."

"Was it the only time?" the hope in Regina's voice was easily detected. She had felt Ariel's presence there on every birthday since that one, till her 18th. She always thought that it was because she was too far gone to be able to feel her daughter again after that point.

"No, I came every year. I knew you would be there. I…uh….I only stopped after Neverland." Ariel finished off.

Regina had finished drying off her hair by then, so she switched off the drier before she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Ariel's shoulders from behind. She buried her mouth and nose in her hair, giving her a long kiss on the top of the head. She almost sobbed when Ariel grabbed one of her hands and kissed the inside of her palm, as she drew small circles with her finger on the back of her hand. They stayed like this for a while before Regina let go.

"Come on, you're gonna be late." She said, rubbing Ariel's shoulders.

"Oh you're trying to get rid of me now!" Ariel gently teased her, as she got off the floor.

Regina laughed at her daughter's statement and raised an eyebrow.

"_No_, but the sooner you go, the sooner you return." She retaliated, standing up to face Ariel.

"But before you go, I need to tell you something." Regina started, taking Ariel's hands into hers and caressing her knuckles, "Stop blaming yourself for not breaking Cora's hold on me sooner. Like you said, it would have had dire consequences, and if you had showed up before I probably would have turned faster; with Leopold taking you away and all. Like Snow and Henry said, this was group effort, but it had _nothing_ to do with you. And some good things _did_ come out of the curse. So stop feeling guilty about it, okay?" she finished.

Ariel was staring dead panned at her mother, 'how did she know I had those feeling? She's not a telepath is she?'

"I know that look Ariel, and I know you." Regina said in response to her unsaid confusion.

She smiled warmly at her mother's anticipating look, before she wrapped her arms around her waist and rested her head in the crook of her neck. She felt Regina's arms go around her, with one hand resting on her head as she rocked them both gently.

They let go after a few minutes, and Regina stroked Ariel's cheek, "do you think you can reschedule your date with Hook to after tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yeah I can, but why?" Ariel asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"Tomorrow's your father's birthday." Regina whispered gently, and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Oh, okay. I'll call Killian and reschedule." She exclaimed, "I'll see you in a few hours" she added, leaning over and giving her mother a peck on the cheek, before turning around, and leaving.

Regina sighed, as she sank into the chair once more. She rubbed her thighs a few times, trying to get her thoughts in order. She always thought that the pain of his death was just as fresh as it was the day it happened. But now it was a different kind, this time she kind of killed him herself. She was scared that the pain will eat away at her, like it did the first time around. But then again, the first time around, she didn't have neither Henry nor Ariel. The first time around, she let her anger take over; maybe this time she just needs to face the pain and talk about it. She thought about going to the stables, and maybe spending the day there with the rest of them in honor of his memory. Then she finally allowed her mind to drift to how she wants to celebrate Ariel's birthday.

* * *

It was well past 10, and David, Emma and Henry had already gone to bed. Henry had his talk with Emma and Regina, and respectfully kicked Snow and David out. Regina seemed lost in thought, and Snow knew why, but she didn't say anything. She figured she'll let Regina tell the rest about Daniel's birthday.

Since she had slept during the day, she wasn't sleepy at all. Regina was sitting on the couch, with one leg tucked under her and the other stretched out in front of her, as she finished some paper work.

Suddenly the phone's ringer resonated through the house, "I'll get it." Snow said, getting up from her place.

"Hello" she said into the phone, "Oh, hey Ariel." she added, turning around to face Regina; whose head immediately snapped up in Snow's direction at the mention of her daughter's name.

"Hold on, I'll put you on speaker phone." Snow said, before removing the phone away from her ear and pressing a button.

"How's it going?" Snow asked, walking over to the couch and sitting at Regina's leg.

"Great, I think I need to get a room for Ruby and her hood, but that's about it." Ariel quipped.

Snow and Regina laughed, and their laughter became harder when they heard Ruby's protests and Ariel's giggles.

"Any trouble?" Regina asked.

"Nop, it's just us so far. We're not picking up any stenches." Ariel answered.

"Except Ariel's that is!" Ruby's voice came in the background. Both women laughed and shook their heads at the childish antiques.

"Ha ha" Ariel shot back, "Anyways, I was just calling to let you guys know that all is fine and going well. And to tell you, Snow, to make sure that Mom doesn't sneak to the office before I come home." She finished.

"It appears I was mistaken when I thought that _I _was the _mother _here!" Regina said in mock exasperation.

"Glad I could set you straight." Ariel teased, "I'll see you in a few hours." She added before she hung up.

Regina sighed contently, and smiled at Snow, "Are you gonna keep staring at me like that all night, or are you gonna tell me what's on your mind?" she asked, though her tone held no animosity or hostility, just curiosity and concern.

Snow knew what she wanted to say to Regina, but she had no idea where to start.

Regina's concern grew at Snow's silence and nervousness; she furrowed her eyebrows before tucking the papers back into their file and scooting closer to Snow.

"Snow?" she inquired gently, taking Snow's hands into hers.

"When I married Charming and saw how he treats me, it made me realize that my father never really loved you, and he wasn't treating the way he should have been." Snow started, and saw how Regina visible paled.

"Snow…d…don't…uh…." Regina stuttered and stumbled on the words trying to gather a coherent thought to voice.

"Don't. I may have been young at the time and didn't know any better; after all I never saw how he was with my mother, but I'm not young and I know better now. You were there for my sake and because it was uncustomary for the King to not have a Queen by his side. And I think that you knew that all along, and that it added to your misery. And it wasn't fair that he constantly compared me to my mother and completely ignoring your role in my life and upbringing. I may have a lot of her in me but I have a lot of you too. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry." Snow finished.

Regina's tears were flowing down her cheeks, against her will mind you, and she was confused as to why Snow is apologizing.

"Sorry for what?" she asked.

"Well, I came to all of those conclusions in the Enchanted Forrest, but I was angry at you and I sort of –like Henry- thought that because you're the Evil Queen, that it was all the excuse you need for the stuff you did. I didn't stop to think about the circumstances, and I didn't want to admit that my father may have had an unwilling hand in the turn of events. He was a great ruler and a magnificent father, but not as a husband." She explained, "But since he can't apologize, I am. We all had a hand in your turning and I just want you to know that it's okay to talk about it; about the circumstances, the change and how you felt. You don't have to go through things alone anymore; you've got an entire army." She added.

Regina smiled gratefully at Snow, "Thank you, Snow. You really didn't have to but…thank you. And I know that I'm not alone anymore, and I'm thrilled. But I'm terrified at the same time." her voice was starting to crack.

"Cora." Snow stated.

Regina nodded at her, and was unable to find her voice.

"Hey, if and when she comes here we'll face her together." Snow assured Regina, and it seemed to have the opposite effect, because Regina immediately stiffened and her eyes widened in horror.

Regina's heart went cold in her chest when she heard Snow saying that they will face Cora with her; she couldn't let any of them anywhere near Cora, let alone face her. She started shaking her head profusely at Snow, "No, when she gets here you will all move out of the house and she won't know about any of this. Hopefully she'll believe that Henry hates me for what I've done and I'll just have to worry about Ariel." she said frantically.

"That's not gonna happen. We won't leave you alone to face her; she thinks that love is weakness, so running away will prove her right. And I won't let her think that she won." Snow stated firmly.

"I can't lose any of you." Regina declared.

"You won't. We are all far too stubborn to let her kill us." Snow assured her, and smiled when Regina's shoulders shook with laughter.

"That you are." She exclaimed.

"She won't kill us like she killed Daniel." Snow pressed, and Regina smiled sadly at the mention of his name.

"Speaking of him, do you want to talk about tomorrow?" Snow asked gently.

Regina rested her head against the couch's backrest, and looked thoughtfully at Snow.

"It's just that….I wish he was here. Although I'm not sure what he would think of me and what I did." she said slowly.

"Well, I only did see him once, but the way he looked at you is burned in my memory forever. I knew what it meant when I found Charming looking at me that way, and therefore, I can honestly say that I don't think he will be that angry. He might get a bit disappointed, but he would have been able to talk you back from that dark path. And if he saw you now, with all of us around you, he would have been thrilled. After all, that is what he wanted to for you. To be happy and loved, and to love again. And I know that this year is a bit different because of what happened before we came, but you did what you had to do to protect Henry and the rest of the town. He wasn't Daniel anymore, and you had to let him go and move on." Snow said softly.

"I just wish he could see his daughter; my only consolation back in our land was that she was with him." Regina reminisced.

"And now she's with you, we all are, and that is his consolation." Snow said, before moving over to hug Regina.

A few moments later the both let go, but Snow moved so that she was resting her head against Regina's chest, "Do you want to go spend the day in the stables tomorrow? We can go after Ariel gets some sleep and Henry and I finish school. It would be like a dedication to him" Snow said, listening to the sound of Regina's heartbeat.

"I would love that, yes." Regina mumbled.

Snow, now sitting in Regina's arms, realized how much she missed it. She closed her eyes as years and years of memories flashed by her eyes, of the many times she found herself in this position. She smiled softly to herself, as she realized that she was right all along. The mother she always knew was still in there somewhere, she just needed someone to free her, to dig her out of the ashes.

"Thank you." Snow said softly.

"What for?" Regina asked confused.

"For coming back to me." Snow's answer was simple, yet loaded. And Regina knew exactly what she meant. She tightened her arms around Snow, and moved one hand to rest on her head.

"Sorry it took me this long." Regina whispered, before she kissed the top of Snow's head.

Snow's eyelids were getting heavy with sleep, but she enjoyed the comfort and safety Regina's arms brought, so she didn't move out. She shook her head at Regina's last statement lazily, "better late than never." She yawned.

Regina chuckled, "Someone's getting sleepy." she said in a tone that you normally use on a child. And both she and Snow laughed.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll let David and Emma knows that we're spending the day in the stables, since you will probably be asleep by the time they wake up." Snow said, though she didn't move from Regina's arms.

"And Henry, I already told Ariel." Regina added, only to receive no reply.

She looked down and found Snow's eyes closed, and her breath rhythmic, even and slow. Snow looked so peaceful, that Regina couldn't bring herself to wake her up. She placed some couch cushions behind her and leaned on them, and allowed her mind to wander off a little. She thought of everything; Ariel, Daniel, Snow, Leopold, her reign as the Evil Queen, her father, Henry, and her road to redemption.

* * *

Snow felt the sun on her face before she opened her eyes. She was confused, because she knows that Charming always makes sure the blinds are closed before they sleep. She fluttered her eyes open and squinted in the face of the bright light. It took her a few seconds till she was able to recognize her surroundings as the living room, and not her bedroom. She was oddly comfortable and could feel Regina's heart beating against the side of her head. She moved her head slowly and looked up, only to find Regina fast asleep.

Her face contorted in sympathy and love, 'this couldn't possibly be comfortable' she thought to herself. She glanced at the clock, 6:30. 'wow, I cant believe she slept like this the entire time.'

She slowly wiggled her way out of Regina's arms, and made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her. She made her way up the stairs and into her room. David was just coming out of the shower when she walked in, and he furrowed his eyebrows when he saw her in the same clothes she was wearing the night before.

"Were you up all night?" he asked.

"No, I fell asleep in mom's arms in the living room." She said fondly.

David's face broke into a proud smile and she couldn't help but grin like a little girl. He walked over to her and engulfed her in a hug, "God I missed her." She mumbled against his chest.

"I know" he said gently, as he rubbed her back, "Why don't you go shower, and meet me downstairs for coffee? We can take Emma and Henry for breakfast at Granny's before work and school. I heard Ariel come in an hour ago and I think she went straight to bed." he said, pulling away after a minute.

"Sure. And by the way, today's Daniel's birthday, so we're gonna spend it in the stables after school." She said.

"That sounds great." He told her, "now go shower, and I'll go wake up Emma and Henry." He added.

Snow nodded and walked over to the bathroom.

* * *

**The next chapter is the last fluffy one. The action and maybe even a little bit of angst will come soon, but fear not you will all be happy with the ending.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	37. There's A First Time For Everything

**To Metope, you're getting greedier by the second my dear! I have to finish this fic by the end of this week or else you guys will be left stranded till January 20****th****! I am trying to wrap things up and it's tugging at my heart that it is nearing its end too :D and I'm always glad to give you a break from studies. And the action will start in the next chapter, just one more fluff for you to endure :P**

**To rickmantic, I wouldn't give up on Regina yet ;) **

**To Jason, they better give her a happy ending or else I'm gonna have issues with the writers :D and yea I wish they can do it too but I'm not holding my breath! By the looks of it Snow couldn't give a damn what Cora will do to Regina or what Regina did for them.**

**To Guest, yes but it won't be that much I'm afraid.**

**To Ann, this is as soon I can. I'm glad you liked it and I always look forward to your input.**

**To Gizela, I missed your review :D**

**To Dakota Kent, thanks hun. And I hope it happens too.**

* * *

Regina's brain was starting to let go of the overshadowing darkness and wake up. She knew that Snow was asleep in her arms, or more like on top of her, so she tried not to move. The first thing she sensed was her empty arms, and the lack of any weight on top of her. She opened her eyes and saw that Snow wasn't there. She sat up and groaned in pain, when her sore back muscles objected to the movement. She stretched her arms and back to get rid of the soreness in them, and glanced over at the clock, almost 11.

She got up and walked up the stairs, she knew the house would be empty by now. It was well past 3 by the time she had fallen asleep, and she knew there would be no going to the office now. They were supposed to go the stables for the day, and she still had to shower and eat. She opened the door gently, aware of the fact that Ariel was probably fast asleep inside. She had to suppress a laugh when she saw Ariel taking full advantage of the empty bed. She was sprawled onto the bed, lying on her stomach and somehow had managed to kick all the covers off of her and the bed. Regina walked over and put the covers back onto the bed and made sure Ariel was tucked in, before leaning over and planting a soft kiss on Ariel's forehead.

Half an hour later she emerged from Henry's bathroom all showered and ready. She made her way downstairs and fixed herself some cereal; there was no point in having a large breakfast with lunch time right around the corner. She gulped it down fast, and then prepared her coffee. She took it and walked back into the living room to finish the paperwork she had with her the night before. She sat on the couch sipping her coffee and staring at paper after paper.

She was fully aware of the date today, but she also knew that she didn't have to spend it like she used to anymore. This year Ariel, Snow and Henry were with her, along with Emma and David. She wasn't alone anymore, and there was no need to sulk. She had people who loved her around her and she finally allowed herself to feel the love she had for them; especially Snow. And she also knew that they will all be there for her no matter what.

She had no idea how long she was like this before she heard the sounds of footsteps coming from the floor above. She had barely put the papers back into their files, when a sleep-walking Ariel shuffled her feet into the living room. Ariel grumpily walked over and plumped onto the couch. She curls up against Regina's chest, with the armrest behind her back.

Regina put her arm around her daughter and rubbed her back, in an effort to help her wake up. She rests her mouth against her forehead, and starts running her fingers in Ariel's hair soothingly.

"Morning sleepy head" she said affectionately.

"Morning." Ariel grunted in response, obviously still half asleep.

"How did last night go?" she asked.

"Great. Nothing happened. We even worked on the control thing again, I told her that I'll start teaching her how to change on command." Ariel mumbled lazily.

"Why?"

Ariel shrugged, "extra protection, especially against Cora and Gold. Wolfs aren't affected by magic, which is what makes them so deadly. It was a surprise that my magic not only got her under control, but also changes her back. But I have to wait till she gets the control back fully." She explained.

Regina sighed and moved so she can face her daughter, she gently took a hold of her chin and lifted her face so she can look into her eyes, "Stop worrying about what will happen if Cora gets here; you're not alone anymore. It won't be just you facing her, it will be all of us." She soothed.

"I know; but I'm just not looking forward to that day." Ariel sighed.

"Me neither. Now go take a shower and I'll fix you some cereal for a light breakfast, because we are meeting the rest at the stables."

"Why?"

"We're spending the day there, sort of to honor hour father's memory." She explained.

"That sounds great. He would've loved that." Ariel said gently, a warm smile on her lips. One that was mirrored by her mother.

* * *

It was almost 5 PM, and laughter could be heard a mile away from the stables, same for the sounds of galloping. Even though Henry and Emma still had yet to learn how to ride; David, Snow, Regina and Ariel were great at it. Emma was riding with David this time, and Henry with Regina. They held races, with Henry and Emma as judges. They had competitions for the highest jumps over barriers; and needless to say that Regina made them all feel bad about themselves. The only one who was able to keep up with her was Ariel. They had to admit that Daniel's genes were displaying beautifully in her.

Unbeknown to all of them, a set of eyes were watching them from afar. Those eyes were green with envy at their laughter and happiness. Most of said envy was directed at one person in particular; she had become the Evil Queen and destroyed so many lives, yet the good in her won again. He knew all those years that he was kidding himself when he thought that she had truly become dark. He knew that it was only a matter of time before that piece of Cora's soul loses its battle against Regina's true soul. But he didn't care as long as he has his son with him. But he doesn't have his son with him, and she has her kids with her. His grip on his cane tightened, knowing that there is no point in harming Snow for no reason; Henry is a child and he never harms a child; and he needs Ariel to get rid of Cora and to find his son. He also knew that he made a promise to Belle; that he will try to be better. And as Ariel's laughter rang throughout the place, her words about what his son would think rang in his ears. Although he hated to admit it, but she was right. If his son saw him now, he will hate what his father had become, he will hate what his father did in the name of finding him.

But again, Regina did some awful things in Daniel's name and her daughter -_his_ daughter- is right there racing along side her mother on her horse, with her ebony locks flying behind her, and her radiant smile and eyes shining in the fading sunlight. After a few more moments of envious glares, he walks back out of the stables and into his car.

* * *

After their day at the stables, the small group made their way to Granny's for dinner and drinks. They were still talking and laughing with each other, gentle and playful teasing going back and forth between them. They walked into the small diner and ordered. Ruby and Granny stood and chatted with them, and even offered Regina consolation when they learned of the day's significance.

* * *

It was almost 11 and the house of the mayor stood proud and silent. Its occupants had long gone to bed; all except for two. Regina sat on the small couch she has by the windowsill, with Ariel sitting between her legs and resting against Regina's chest, rising and falling gently with Regina's breath.

They had been there for about an hour, watching the moonless sky with its twinkling stars. They talked about Ariel's time in Atlantica and Regina opened up a bit about her time in the Enchanted Forrest and how she felt. She had already opened up to all of them, after their return from the stables, but she opened up more with her daughter. Ariel had asked about Daniel, and Regina was more than happy to tell her stories of him.

* * *

The next morning went by smoothly, they were all awake and out of the door by 8:30, and went to work and school. Ariel went over to Sneezy and tried a few spells to restore his memories. After 3 hours of agonizing work; especially with Sneezy's constant sneezes and whining, she finally managed to succeed. They even had Happy cross the border and come back to make sure that the spell is working fine. Once they had their confirmation, they spread the word around. But people still decided to stay clear of the borders, and just stick to Storybrooke. They weren't used to the outside world, and they didn't want to venture on.

They all came back home around 4 and after a quick lunch, Snow and Emma dragged Ariel upstairs to get her ready for her date with Hook. After some reluctance, Regina followed them upstairs to find a dress for Ariel.

Once Ariel had showered, the ladies did her make-up and hair. They were putting the final touches when the doorbell rang.

David walked over to the door and opened it, revealing Hook standing there. He was in jeans, shirt and a jacket. He glared at him and Hook took an instinctive step back.

"Yes?" David asked nonchalantly. Henry was standing in the doorway of the dining room, shaking his head in amusement at the situation.

"Is Ariel ready?" Hook asked politely.

"She would have been down here if she was, wouldn't she?" David growled and Hook gulped.

"Listen up, Hook. If hurt her, if you even contemplate the thought of hurting her in _any_ way, you won't get the chance to worry about Regina and her dark magic, because I will make Regina's magical punishment seem like a pipe dream to you, are we clear?" he hissed threateningly, "she's Snow's baby sister and that makes her my baby sister, and I protect what's mine. So don't even _think_ about crossing me, got it?" he continued.

"I _can't_ hurt her. I love her, and don't worry I'll take good care of her." Hook answered him sincerely.

Even though David noted the sincerity in his statements, he still didn't allow his face to soften. His attention was then diverted to the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs. He turned around in time to see Ariel walking down the stairs, with the other three women surrounding her.

David's face softened up immediately, and his face broke into a proud smile. She was wearing a figure-hugging black dress, and her hair flowed down in loose, soft curls. And she had light make-up on, which highlighted her eyes perfectly.

An admiration whistle tore through the air, and they all looked over at Henry, who grinned "Stunning, sis" he said with a dramatic air.

They all laughed, "Thanks, sweetie." Ariel answered him.

"Hook, can I have a word before you two head off? And Snow, do you mind showing her where the coats are?" Regina said.

"Sure." Snow and Hook said simultaneously. Hook knew that Regina was going to be _threatening _him not talking, but he also knew that it just means that she is a good mother looking out for her daughter.

Snow and Ariel knew that Regina wanted to get rid of Ariel, and they both played along. Emma went along with them, and giggles and whispers could be heard between the three of them.

Regina rounded on Hook, her eyes narrowed at him. Even though Hook was already intimidated by David, this sent fear coursing through his veins. This was the Evil Freaking Queen they were talking about, if he so much as moves one hair out of its place on Ariel's head, she will make the Dark One, Cora and the Wraith, _combined_, seem like nothing compared to what she will become. Even though Henry made her promise not to use Dark Magic anymore, he knew that he will gladly give her permission to do so for his sister's sake. And David already made it clear that he won't really need any magic.

"The only reason why you are not dead right now because of what happened in Neverland is because she loves you, and I will not hurt her in any way; and because you never really gave them permission. But the fact remains that you _left_ her alone on that ship with a bunch of pirates who think that she is a female sailor. You left her unprotected and vulnerable, and you knew that she wasn't feeling well. so, not only am I going to kill you if you hurt her, but I will become your worst nightmare if you don't take care of her properly, do I make myself clear?" her tone was dangerously low and he could tell that she meant every word.

"Yes, and I know I screwed up that day. But I promise you that it will never happen again." He assured her.

"Good" she said in a slightly less threatening tone.

They both heard the clicking of heels, and saw Ariel walking towards them with her coat on.

"Shall we?" Hook asked her.

"Yeah." She said.

"Have fun, sis" Henry said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Ariel smiled and rubbed his back lovingly, "thanks, kiddo."

"Have fun, sweetheart." Regina said, as Ariel kissed her cheek, "thanks, mom."

"I will be fine." She said to David.

"I'll believe it when I see it." He said, kissing the top of her head.

She waved at Emma and Snow before she walked out with Hook. David and Regina crossed their arms in front of their chests, and stood staring out the door, watching Ariel and Hook walking down the foot path in the grass and round the corner out of their sight.

Snow and Emma waited till the door was shut before erupting in a fit of giggles. Henry was smirking at his grandfather and mother, and said mother and grandfather were looking at them quizzically.

"What's so funny?" David asked.

"You two" Emma answered through her laughter, gesturing with her hand to David and Regina.

David and Regina looked at each other and immediately knew that those three will be having a good laugh all night at their expense.

* * *

Hook and Ariel went for a walk on the beach after their dinner, which was spent mostly in talks and laughter. They talked about her rape, and her father.

Ariel was surprised at how she easily opened up to him again, like no time has passed. He still knew her like the back of his hand, and knew what to say and when to say it. She had a good laugh at his expense when he told her about David and Regina's threatening speeches. He mock glared at her, but she couldn't keep the laughter at bay. And the more he whined about it, the harder her laughter seemed to get.

They were now walking down Main Street, hand in hand and deep in conversation. When they neared her house, Hook stopped her before they could be seen from the windows of the house. He was sure Regina and David were both glued to the windows waiting for their arrival.

He gazed down into her eyes, and before he could chicken out, he leaned down and kissed her. Ariel was surprised at first, but was soon returning the kiss. One of his arms wrapped around her shoulders, cradling her head in his elbow; while his other arm went around her waist. He felt her arm wrap around his torso, while the other hand was cradling his face and keeping it close to hers.

After a few moments they both let go, mainly due to the overwhelming need for air. He smiled down at her, and planted a few soft kissed on her lips before he let her go. He watched her walk the foot path towards the door, and put the key in the door. He had his hands in his pockets and smiled at her before she walked in and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Regina and David were pacing the room, taking turns in checking out the window for any signs of them. Regina was biting on her nails nervously and David was going over his plan to kill Hook and not leave anything that could trace back to him. Although he knew that being who they are, pressing charges would be hard.

Snow, Emma and Henry were having the time of their lives at their expense. They were making fun of them, teasing them and laughing hysterically. Snow was slightly worried, but not like the two buzzing bees, who drew a whole in the living room floor with their pacing.

"She's back" David suddenly exclaimed as he looked out the window, seeing Ariel walking towards the door. Regina darted towards the door once she heard the fumbling of the keys in the lock. She swung around the doorframe of the living room in time to see Ariel walking in.

"Hey, Mom." Ariel greeted, with an amused smirk on her lips.

David was close on Regina's heels and they both went over to Ariel. Regina hugged her and David was eyeing her critically, inspecting her for any excuse to go kill Hook.

Ariel winked at Snow and Emma behind her mother's back, and they both winked back and giggled silently. Henry was grinning at her like Christmas was here.

* * *

It was well after midnight, and the residents of the mayor's mansion were fast asleep. Emma and Henry each in their beds; Snow's head resting on David's chest; and Ariel sound asleep with Regina's arm around her. None of the peacefully asleep residents were aware of the looming danger itching closer by the minute.

* * *

**That is all the fluff I have folks. Let me know what you all think and prepare for angst and action in the coming chapters.**


	38. From Hell With Love

**To Jason, yes the danger definitely has no idea what she's up against! I'm still trying to nail the final battle, and it took me a while to plan this one. I couldn't help but put the teasing in, and I was laughing hysterically picturing it.**

**To rebakathy, here's some angst for you.**

**To carriemarrie78, good luck. **

**To Mari, oh no please don't be angry! Like I said, you will all be happy with the ending.**

**To Ann, here comes the danger :D**

**To Gizela, OH MY GOD GIRL! Your reviews keep getting more hilarious every time! I was laughing hysterically while on the phone with a very upset best friend! So good news is, you cheered her up! **

**Yea, I had a fever and you definitely entertained me ;) *clapping* and since you are laughing like a moron, I guess now you know how I feel reading your reviews :D I always look forward to them and smile like an idiot the second I see your name before I even read it.**

**There will be no doing it on regular basis and permanently, thank you very much :P**

**I did actually watch Goldeneye, now that you mention it, but it was a few years back and I don't remember it that well. I do however remember the Russian agent! And yes she is ringing LOTS and LOTS of bells in my head ;)**

**And NOW I get what you mean :P so thank you for spelling it out :P**

**What did I say about psychobabble about Regina and David? :P **

**Shouldn't you be trying to hide those horns, sweetie? ;) :P**

**I love Ariel and Regina's relationship too.**

**I went back and forth about Henry's talk with Regina and Emma and I felt like I already covered that up in more than one chapter and that if I go into details I will be repeating myself. It may be mentioned in later conversations, but not in great detail.**

**I was thinking more along the lines of sea breeze perfume? ;)**

**I am dying for Eureka to make an appearance on the show before I strangle Snow!**

_"No, when she gets here you will all move out of the house and she won't know about any of this. Hopefully she'll believe that Henry hates me for what I've done and I'll just have to worry about Ariel." she said frantically._  
_More like Ariel about you..._

**Yea I know tell me about it.**

**And I think Daniel will be FAR from delighted, peachy maybe? :P, but I guess we may never find out :P**

_"I just wish he could see his daughter; my only consolation back in our land was that she was with him." Regina reminisced._  
_"And now she's with you, we all are, and that is his consolation."_  
_Ok lady, I don't know how you're gonna do that (although knowing you, you have it planned all along;)) but you better bring Daniel back! ;)_

**And here I thought that I was the author! I guess we do learn new everyday :P :P**

**No need for apologies hun, but I always love reading your reviews. But since I am trying to finish this story by Thursday, I'm afraid I sometimes can't wait for them : (**

**They were trying to put lovely images in David's head :D**

**And David has always been **_**charming**_**;) hasn't he? **

**Try writing that scene after what we established! I was about to write 'he lunged at her and kissed her passionately' before I remembered that he was actually in love with her daughter, but since I made Ariel the spitting image of Regina, I guess it's not that far off.**

**Glad you liked the chapter that much and if you hadn't said MORE I would have thought that Aliens kidnapped you or :P**

**To Barbara Montgomery, I'm sorry for the wait, but luck was not favoring me at all the last few days. SO here's the danger.**

**To TruEvilRegalxox, I am ready for that too.**

* * *

It was a beautiful day in Storybrooke, Maine. The sun was out and the winter breeze was carrying the fallen leaves across the streets. Henry sat in his classroom, paying attention to his lesson. Snow was in the teacher's lounge, sipping some coffee and looking over some assignments. Emma was at the Sheriff's station; since people had their memories back, things haven't been as peaceful and boring as before. David was with Ariel at the border; keeping an eye on her as she tried to break the spell on the border, yet again.

Even though he was technically Regina's deputy, they didn't let Ariel get too absorbed in a magical task without protection, out of fear of a surprise attack. And therefore, he would go with her sometimes and keep an eye on her, and relieves Mulan of her shift as well. Regina was at her office as usual, looking over some contracts and finishing off paperwork before the weekend arrives.

It had been four weeks since a very soaked Emma and Snow came barging into the house, with an unconscious Ariel in Hook's arms; four very peaceful weeks. Regina and Ariel moved George and his thug to the cave beneath the library, and kept them there. They sent them food and water, via magic, and had sealed off the elevator shaft with magic to make sure that they don't find their way out and hurt Belle or Aurora.

Ariel kept her promise and tried relentlessly to break the spell on the border, although it seemed futile since people didn't look like they wanted to leave, but she wanted to keep the option open. She had been having extensive training sessions with Ruby to help her turn on command; and be in full control of her actions. She also made sure that she spent as much time as possible with Henry; it's true that George and his thug are locked up, but she didn't want to take any chances. After all, her mother became the Evil Queen and made many enemies, and just because they are mortals doesn't mean they won't try. They all know that Regina can't use her dark magic anymore. She spent most of the time teaching him how to push through magical restraints and deflect magic with a sword. She enchanted Mulan and David's swords so that they won't be affected by Cora's magic, or Rumpelstiltskin's for that matter, as well as a bunch of other swords that were kept in places they spend time in; the stables, Regina's office, the Sheriff's station, etc.

Regina had a piece of paper in her hand, same one she's been staring at for the past 30 minutes. She dropped it and grabbed her coat, before heading out of the office. She told her secretary where she'll be, before she made her way up to the roof. She stood near the ledge looking over the small town; she could easily spot Henry's school from the distance and she knew that his classroom's window faced City Hall. She stood there gazing upon the town that she had created, and the people that she had cursed. She had expected all of them to want to leave the town once Ariel breaks the curse on the town border, and will want to go back to the Enchanted Forrest as soon as her mother is dealt with. But Granny had told her that no one had signed their names in the roaster; so they obviously like their lives here.

Things have been getting better between her and the town's folks; they kept a close eye on her for a while and slowly she earned their trust. They stopped sending death glares in her direction, or snotty remarks. Gold stayed out of her hair; mostly out of fear of getting on Ariel's nerves, knowing that he needs her to get rid of Cora and find his son.

She took a deep breath through her nose, and allowed her chest to inflate as the cold air filled her lungs. She had her eyes closed, holding the breath in for a few seconds, when she felt a familiar presence with her on the roof. She knew who it was immediately without turning around. She released the breath she had been holding, "Hello, Mother."

* * *

Cora stood there watching her daughter as she turned around to face her. She expected to see the fear, intimidation and anticipation that she always saw in her daughter's eyes whenever she was present, and was slightly shocked to see that not only were they absent, but that her daughter also seemed at peace, and _happy_, she noted.

"Hello, Regina. Long time no see." Her voice was sickeningly sweet, and the underlying venom was dripping from each letter.

"I was hoping you will take the hint and make it forever." Regina shot back. Her hands were clenched inside her coat pockets, but they were twitching with magic. Her anger was starting to bubble up towards the surface, along with her motherly protective instincts. She knew that Cora was here for Henry and Ariel. She was praying that by some miracle she won't know about Snow, David and Emma.

"Is that anyway to speak to your mother?" Cora asks sweetly, "especially after such a long time apart, is that any way to great her?" she adds.

"That term is loosely applied to you." Regina hisses.

"Oh, Regina; are you trying to hurt my feelings?" Cora takes a step closer to Regina, and is surprised when Regina holds her grounds.

"I don't think you even have any." Regina retorts.

"My, my. You've gotten bolder and impolite in my absence; thankfully it can be corrected." Cora's sweet act drops and she glares at her daughter.

Regina laughs at her mother's remark, "What? You think I will cry in fear and beg you not to hurt me like I used to as a child. Those days are over mother." Regina yells, "Now, why are you here? What do you want?" she asks.

"What I've always wanted; to guide you and help you achieve power and get your happy ending."

"Happy ending?! You killed the man I love, took my _daughter_ away from me and tried to kill her, _repeatedly._ How is that helping me get my happy ending?" Regina screamed.

"I was trying to rid you of your weaknesses, Regina. I told you before, Love is weakness. You need not love anything, otherwise you will never have great power."

Regina snorted, "Yeah, when I actually allowed myself to believe that, all hell broke loose. And you know what mother? I wasn't happy, it didn't feel like my happy ending. I was suffocating and I was dying. Power isn't everything and I don't want it. Love isn't weakness, its strength and it is the only thing that lasts, the only thing that makes life worthwhile. I don't need your help or your guidance, nor do I want either." She screamed.

"I see that daughter of yours has softened you up." Cora growled dangerously.

"You stay away from her; your problem is with me." Regina threatened.

"On the contrary my dear; she is my problem. If she's out of the way, you will finally see that I am right and I will help you back onto your feet. And don't worry, I won't hurt Henry; he's still young and can be molded." Cora explained.

Regina's face paled immediately, and contorted with fury jumping out of every detail, and daggers flying out of her eyes, "Stay away from them, mother." Her tone was dangerously low and threatening.

Cora was silent as she looked at her daughter, she suddenly pulled her hand from under her cape and stretched it towards her daughter; hoping to catch her by surprise.

Regina, knowing her mother all too well, released her own magic at the same time, and ducked out of the way of the resulting explosion.

The resultant wave resonated throughout the town, attracting everyone's attention; especially that of Henry and Snow.

* * *

Henry looked out the window, and his eyes widened in horror at the sight. He couldn't see any details, but he saw magic swirling back and forth. And he instantly knew that Cora had arrived and she had gone after his mother. He looked over towards his teacher and was about to ask for permission.

"It's alright, Henry. Go, I understand." His teacher told him. Henry didn't need to be told twice, he sprinted out of the classroom, and out to the street; without even his backpack. He ran through the streets and through the gathering people towards his mother's office. He turned the corner towards City Hall, and only then did he hear the sound of heels clicking against the concrete. He spared a glance behind over his shoulder and found Snow sprinting behind him. He ran up the stairs to his mother's office, and found her secretary sitting behind her desk, trying to figure out what to do.

"Call my grandfather and tell him what's happening." Henry screamed, running into Regina's office and grabbed the enchanted sword. Snow hadn't gone after him, and made her way to the roof.

* * *

Cora and Regina were still fighting each other, with spells and explosions swirling between them. Cora finally managed to gain the upper hand, and entrapped Regina with her magic.

Regina fell to the floor screaming and withering with pain, as Cora shot surge after surge of magic through Regina's body. She was about to send another surge, when a loud banging caught her attention.

She turned around and found Snow standing in the doorway.

"Well, well, come to witness her suffering." Cora taunted.

Snow's eyes flickered over to Regina. She was on the floor coughing and gasping for air; she was on her back and her face was drained from all the blood.

Snow's eyes flickered back to Cora, and Cora was surprised at the amount of anger in them.

"I guess you'll finally get what you want, Regina. Snow's heart on a platter." Cora said, sending a magical restraint through the air towards Snow.

Regina's head snapped up in Snow's direction, "NO!" she screamed, trying to counteract her mother's magic, but found that she was too weak for it. She was praying that Snow would get out of its way, and her horror multiplied when Snow held her grounds.

Snow saw the magic coming towards her but didn't move; she wanted to distract Cora from Regina for as long as possible, till Ariel gets here. She hated that she was basically throwing Ariel in the line of fire, but she knew that she was the only one who can stand up to her. Seconds before the binding reached Snow, she got pushed to the ground.

* * *

Henry ran up the stairs to the roof, as fast as his legs would carry him; especially with the added weight of the heavy sword. He got there in time to hear Cora's threat and see her hurling a magical ball towards Snow. He pushed her out of the way and deflected the ball back to Cora with the sword.

Cora was momentarily thrown back from the surprise –and the shock of her daughter's protest- and stared back at Henry in shock. Henry stood in Snow's place, wielding his sword and glaring at Cora. Snow took advantage of the distraction and sprinted in Regina's direction and fell to her knees next to her.

"Oh, you must be Henry." Cora said, faking sweetness in an effort to hide the surprise from her voice.

"Mom" Snow's voice was frantic and filled with horror and worry.

"Mom?!" Cora raised an eyebrow and cocked her head towards Snow and Regina in surprise, "Oh this is a nice twist in events, isn't it?" she chuckled humorlessly, and took a step towards them.

Henry moved from his place, "Stay away from them." he barked.

"Oh is this any way to great your grandmother?" she asked in fake sweetness.

"You are NOT my grandmother; and this is just what you deserve." He hissed.

"It appears my daughter wasn't a good mother and forgot to teach you manners; good thing I came along then." She shot back.

"She was a _great_ mother and she taught me to give people _exactly_ what they _deserve_" he seethed.

Cora's expression darkened, before she bound him with magic, "You are just as disobedient as your mother was; and luckily I know _exactly_ how to deal with such disobedience." She said through gritted teeth.

Regina, who was leaning against Snow's chest, felt her heart stop in her chest at the implication of her mother's words; she knew all too well what was in store for Henry. Snow was worried about Henry; but having witnessed one of his training sessions with Ariel, she knew he could hold his own against Cora, at least until Ariel gets here and saves them all.

Cora's brows furrowed in confusion at Henry's grin and smirk. Henry moved his arms closer to his body, and allowed the magic to seep through his veins. He drew it in, channeled it through the sword and pushed it back towards Cora.

Cora's eyes widened in shock, when she felt her hold on Henry weaken, and saw him break free from the restrains and send them back at her. She was quick to absorb it before it knocks her off her feet, and sent it towards Regina and Snow.

Henry was faster than her and jumped in front of it; once again deflecting it with the sword, before jumping to his feet and standing protectively in front of his mother and grandmother.

Cora roared in anger, and it only grew when Henry's grin grew. She suddenly found herself flying towards the wall, when a gust of wind swept her off her feet. She looked up in time to see Charming and Ariel running towards Regina, Snow and Henry. Ariel fell to her knees next to her mother and Charming stood with his sword next to Henry.

"Oh will you look at that," she scoffed, "one big happy family" she finished sarcastically, getting back up.

"And you have no place in it, so why don't you get lost already?" David barked.

"Such hostility." She taunted.

"This is a lost battle, Cora. You won't win, so why don't you cut your losses and leave us alone?" Ariel warned; her voice low and dangerous. She had abandoned her place beside her mother and was now standing partially in front of Henry, shielding him with her body.

"Haven't you learned already my dear, I always win; just ask your father." Cora taunted.

"Not this time Cora." Ariel shot back.

Cora stretched her hand and sent enough energy towards Ariel to dissipate the particles of the entire universe. Ariel deflected some with her magic, while Henry and David used their swords. Cora was about to send another wave, when she found herself pinned to the ground and a pair of yellow eyes glaring at her. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized that she was pinned under a werewolf; whose white, sharp teeth were inches away from her face. She tried to push it off with magic and her horror multiplied when it didn't even flinch. It only seemed to get angrier and pushed its claws harder on her arms and legs.

She turned her head in the direction of the small group and found that Emma had joined her mother next to Regina, while the other three held their protective stances in front of them. Her mind was racing with thoughts, trying to think of a way out of this predicament. She was a 60 year old woman, and she was incapable of physically fighting the werewolf, or the small group. She came here thinking that it would only be Ariel, and she was prepared for her. She knew she would be able to get her daughter under control. An idea suddenly sprung to her mind, and with that she disappeared.

* * *

Regina was still leaning against Snow's chest, unable to gather enough strength to stand up, and she knew better than to try after what her mother did. She remembered all too well from her childhood the toll it takes on her body, so she just stayed put. She also knew that this way Ariel will focus on Cora and won't be distracted, and hopefully Cora won't be able to get close enough to rip her baby's heart out.

Ruby immediately focused all of her senses into trying to determine which direction Cora might be attacking from. Ariel kept looking around her, magic swirling in the palms of her hands, anticipating Cora's next attack. She knew that look Cora had on her face, all too well. She didn't give up nor leave; she was trying to take them by surprise.

Suddenly the ground beneath their feet shook and a small explosion erupted at their feet, sending them all in different directions. Snow fell over the edge, and clasped onto the ledge at the very last second. Emma found herself slamming into the wall, with Henry slamming into her. David and Ariel flipped over a few times, while Red dug her sharp nails into the concrete and skidded away. Smoke filled the area and when it cleared, Regina was nowhere to be found.

* * *

**Evil Cliffy! Let me know what you guys think. The next chapter should be up tomorrow.**


	39. Oh Mother,Where Art Thou

**To rebakathy, brace yourself dear, they're gonna get more and more evil.**

**To beverlie4055, thanks.**

**To Ann, I'm glad you liked it. And brace yourself darling, it's gonna get worse.**

**To carriemarrie78, she knows she can't handle Ariel.**

**To percabeth4ever, glad to hear from you again hun, and yes more kidnapping. I told you it they fit the story I'll put them in. And I loved Henry in that scene too xD.**

**To EvilRegal, thanks for the title and I have no idea what imprisoned is. Glad you liked it and Cora _is_ up to no good.**

**To Jason, well at least there weren't any tears this time :D. Thanks for the reviews and yes things will be pretty intense.**

**To TruEvilRegalxox, yes Hurrah for Red! Good wolfy :D and you should be concerned for Regina ;)**

**To Gizela, okay you need to start writing for Comedy Central or something because you are just down right HILARIOUS! And I always happen to read your reviews at the most inappropriate times; I was in bed and I had to bite on the covers to keep from laughing hysterically so that I don't wake up my roommate! But it was very much worth it. And of course you look forward to both ;)**

**And yes you were very useful and I am fine thank you, your review chased the flu away :D**

**I was never really a fan of Bond movies, although Pierce and Sean Connery are my favorites. I had a phase where I used to watch the movies, but that was like 10 years ago. I love femme fatales when they are written properly and portrayed well, ringing any bells? ;)**

**I said no psychobabble, whatsoever, not just by your standards? :P**

**Well, halo wouldn't fit now would it? Did you try a pointy hat? :P *smiling innocently***

**I don't always like Snow in FTL either, I like her as the bad-ass not the hopeless romantic one. Mary Margret was beyond annoying! And no I don't think she'll get even if it smacks her in the face. They better fix it quick with Regina, otherwise I might go all femme fatale on them. And yea I do have a thing for tough cookies ;)**

**Oh no hun, I know you too well by now to know when you're being sarcastic. And you never know *evil grin***

**Yeah, you know how the world is supposed to end of Friday? I don't want you all to go to the afterlife without knowing how the story ends, especially with the amount of effort and support :P**

**I really could have lived without those images in my head thank you :P and I was more like, first Ariel then ME! :P ;)**

**Yes Ariel's birthday was a week after Daniel's but I had a feeling you guys had enough of fluff, so I skipped past it. Don't worry it will be mentioned later, and you will know how Regina celebrated it.**

**I love Regina too xD and I couldn't resist having her snap at Cora.**

**No worries my dear, Regina will remain as bold as she is. All Cora will accomplish is piss off Ariel. ;)**

**Your poor nails xD**

" "What I've always wanted; to guide you and help you achieve power and get your happy ending." "  
Anybody asked you for that? *rolls eyes*

**Oh cut the woman some slack; she was just being a good mother :P**

**LOL! Archie would have a field day with her! Hell, Freud would spend 50 lifetimes studying her and it wont be enough.**

**I think we already established that Cora can't take a hint and doesn't wanna get lost.**

**Your poor nails are probably all gone by now! Relax hun, it may be dark now, but it will soon be shinny. xD ;)**

**Well, he's is MY Henry so yeah his priorities are straight, and of course you like this one better, cause you like my story more :P **

**Newton, Snow and Ariel proved that apples fall VERY close to the tree! Hopefully in Cora and Regina's case, it was blown away by wind xD**

**I love the Eeeek thing! I keep picturing you sitting cross legged on the couch or bed, biting you nails and squeaking :D and I laugh hysterically :P**

**My bestie and I have a very long list of names for Cora, the nicest being bitch!**

**I'm pretty sure Cora would taste like crap! xD**

**And now you're shaking your head like crazy :P**

**To Barbara Montgomery, I think I owe the title of this chapter to you ;)**

**To hershey1993, I love your name because Hershey's is my favorite chocolate. Welcome and I'm glad you like the story this much, and yes I am quite cheeky. I think you will be very satisfied with the ending.**

* * *

Ariel and David sprung to their feet and quickly evaluated the situation; Emma and Henry were getting to their feet and Red was human again. They both bolted towards Snow to pull her up.

Ariel was well aware that her mother is missing; and was racking her brain, trying to figure out Cora's next move. Cora didn't even drop some hint or remark, or even a blow that will let them know where she is heading.

Snow was still leaning on both David and Ariel, and still hadn't gotten a chance to survey the damage. She was still gasping for air and trying to regain her balance.

"Where's Mom?" Henry's voice cut through the deafening silence.

Snow's heart stopped in her chest at his question; she had no idea which mother he meant, and she did not like either options. She glanced at Ariel and saw her sharing a look with David.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll find her" Emma's voice was hollow as she tried to reassure Henry.

Snow's heart sank; Cora had Regina. This was somehow worse than Cora having Ariel; at least Ariel can hold her own, but Regina cant. She already had Regina screaming and seizing with pain, when Snow came in. And then it dawned on her; Cora wasn't really after Regina, Regina was just the bait for the bigger shark.

"Ariel?" Henry pleaded.

Ariel's eyes drifted towards Henry, and her mouth opened and closed a few times with nothing coming out of it. Her mind was already going wild with scenarios of what Cora is doing to her mother; and she was desperately trying to figure out her next move. The amount of plea and fear in Henry's voice, tore through her heart. The amount of hope in his eyes as he looked at her; that somehow she holds the answer that will ease his mind was overwhelming.

The silence was deafening around them as the wind blew around them. People were still gathered in the streets and some of them were in front of City Hall and were most likely waiting for answers.

"The well!" Ruby exclaimed.

5 pairs of confused eyes looked at her, "the well?" Emma asked.

"Yes, the one in the woods. It's the only magical hot spot in Storybrooke; she'll probably go there to.." she trailed off, when Ariel –along with Snow and David since they were all touching- smoked out, and David's sword fell to the floor.

Ruby changed back in a wolf, leaped from the roof and ran towards the woods. Emma picked up her father's sword and ran after Henry. To her surprise, Henry didn't run towards the street; instead he headed for his mother's car.

"Henry?" she cried questioningly.

"Mom leaves the keys in the ignition, it will be faster than running." He yelled over his shoulder without slowing down. He opened the door and jumped into the car and Emma didn't need to be told twice. She jumped into the driver's seat and drove –well over speed limit- to the woods.

* * *

Ariel materialized with Snow and David, some distance away from the well. Snow looked quizzically at Ariel, "It will be the death of us if I just appear out of thin air. We're not that far off, but at least that way I'll be prepared for whatever she throws our way." Ariel hastily explained, already making her way towards the well.

They arrived at the well, and their hearts sank at the sight. Cora was standing at the well, her evil smile plastered on, with an unconscious Regina at her feet.

"I knew you would be coming; people with emotions are so predictable." She said calmly.

"What have you done to her?!" Ariel growled.

"Oh, nothing; just insured that she won't be able to fight me anymore." Cora replied calmly.

Ariel glanced worriedly at her mother; before she glared back at Cora, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she hissed.

Cora pulled her hand from under the cape and revealed the object in her hand. She stood there enjoying the horrified expressions on the three faces in front of her, and she snickered, "You see, as long as I have this, she won't be able to use her magic against me…"she trailed; knowing fully that Ariel will know what it means.

Ariel was staring at the object in Cora's hands in horror. There, in Cora's palm, glowing and beating steadily, was a heart. Ariel was praying that Cora was bluffing; that this heart did NOT belong to her mother; that the woman standing in front of her, did NOT just plunge her hand inside her own daughter's chest and ripped her heart out.

Cora saw the doubt in Ariel's eyes, so she gave the heart a small squeeze; causing Regina's body to jerk, "move one cell in your body and I will crush it to dust." She warned, when Ariel and Snow moved towards their mother.

Ariel and Snow stood there staring at her in horror, what kind of mother does this? What kind of mother does this to her own child?

Snow was suddenly filled with more guilt than she thought she could feel; even at the height of her evil reign, Regina was never as bad as Cora. She never ripped Snow's heart out; even though she had more than one chance.

"She's entirely defenseless against you" Snow whispered in horror.

"Exactly." Cora said with a smile.

"I'm your problem, Cora, not her. Let her go" Ariel growled.

"You don't get to dictate your terms or tell me what to do. If you want your mother, you're gonna have to come get her." Cora taunted before disappearing once again with Regina.

* * *

They saw her materializing inside the well; and for the first time since they arrived, Ariel realized that there was magic inside the well. David's eyes widened as he recognized the purple color swirling inside the well. Snow's jerk towards the well told him that she recognized it too, and he jumped her, tackling her waist and pulling her back into his arms and wrapped them tight. He watched in horror as Ariel ran towards the well, with the magic still swirling inside it. Two steps away from its ledge, Ruby jumped from between the pillars of the well and tackled Ariel to the ground, pinning her in her place.

"Charming, let me go" Snow screamed.

"Ruby, get off of me" Ariel growled.

To David's relief, the swirling vortex came to a halt and the woods was silent again, with the exception of the wind blowing through the trees. Snow stilled in his arms and gaped at the well; her breathing was shallow and irregular.

Ruby had turned back and was now talking to a shocked and seemingly distraught Ariel, "Ariel, she would have killed you the second you fell through the portal. I know you want to save Regina, but you have to be smart about it." She said gently.

Ariel rounded on Ruby, and David flinched at the amount of anger in them, "I don't care; at least I would have tried." She screamed.

"You promised Regina that you won't let Cora hurt you, or kill you. Which do you think Regina prefers; suffering for a short period at Cora's hands, or having to spend the rest of her life believing you were dead again? And still suffering at Cora's hands; if you die, Regina, Henry and Snow are screwed and you know it." Ruby stated firmly, she knew it was a low blow, but a necessary one, "If you don't want to be smart about this for your sake, then do it for theirs" she added.

Snow was sobbing in David's arms by then, and he didn't even try to sooth her; he knew it would be pointless; she was beyond inconsolable by now. Ariel was staring with a blank expression at Ruby; although she hated to admit it, but Ruby was right.

* * *

Emma screeched to a halt in Regina's car outside the wood path that led to the well. Henry had jumped out of the car before it even came to a complete halt, and she was quick to follow, without even turning off the engine. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the small group emerge from the woods, and the looks they had on their faces.

Snow had red, swollen eyes and her lower lip was trembling; the tear tracks were still visible on her cheek. She had her arms wrapped around herself, with one of David's arms around her shoulder, and the other hand resting gently on her arm. Ariel's face was blank and pale. Both David and Ruby had sympathetic looks on their faces, but the anger was clearly visible too. Emma's stomach twisted in fear of what will be coming next, and Henry's heart sank.

"What's going on? Where's mom?" Henry found himself asking for the second time in less than half an hour.

A sob escaped Snow's lip before she could stop it, and she collapsed in David's arms once again. Ariel closed her eyes, and just stood there. She vaguely registered Henry's panic and hitched breathing, thinking that Regina was dead; and David's assurance that she's alive but with Cora in the Enchanted Forrest. She could hear people talking -probably David explaining what happened- her mind managed to register, but it was all nothing but a bunch of blurring noises in the background of her mind.

She was aware of someone slamming into her and punching her repeatedly; she saw Emma pulling Henry away from her. Henry's mouth was moving and she could hear his screams, but couldn't understand anything coming from him. She saw him shaking in Emma's arms, as sobs wracked his body. She turned her head towards Ruby, when she heard her talking, but once again was unable to understand anything. Before anybody could say anything about it, she disappeared.

* * *

Regina's head throbbed like hell, and she felt like someone was holding a tribal ceremony inside her head, with her brain as the ceremonial drum. The surface she was lying on was very hard and highly uncomfortable. There was a weird faint smell, and her body still ached from the magic her mother used on her. _Her mother!_ That thought suddenly chased all the fog and darkness away; she could feel her in the room. But she couldn't hear anything; no noises, no wind bellowing, nothing. It was strangely quiet and warm.

She pried her eyes open, and blinked a few times to clear the blurriness that greeted her. She furrowed her eyes in confusion when she saw that she was in a cave, and it didn't look like the town's abandoned mines. She turned her head to the side; where she sensed her mother, and found her standing a few feet away from her, same evil smirk in place.

Regina turned onto her side, before using her arms to push herself up into a sitting position.

"Well, good morning, dear." Cora greeted.

Regina glared at her in response and groaned, "Where are we?" she seethed, although it was far less powerful than she hoped. The pain and throbbing headache were affecting her ability to sound and seem menacing.

"The Enchanted Forrest; on the island used as a safe haven from the ogres." Cora answered simply.

Regina flicked her wrist at her mother, expecting her to go flying across the room. Her brows furrowed in confusion when her mother didn't even budge; she felt her horror bubble up inside her when she realized that she can't feel her magic. After all, she spent 28 years without it, so she knows how it feels to not have it inside her.

Cora released a humorless laugh, before pulling a box from beneath her cape, opened it and tilted it slightly so Regina can see its contents.

Regina's eyes widened in horror when she saw a bright, beating heart inside the box; her mind already dreading the moment when she finds out exactly which of her children this heart belongs to. Cora reached into the box and pulled the heart out.

"If you moved one hair on _any_ of their heads mother…." Her threat was cut short, when her chest suddenly tightened and she gasped for air.

Cora released the heart, and Regina fell over coughing and gasping for air. She carefully put it back into the box.

"This heart doesn't belong to any of your children; this heart is yours. Your life is mine, Regina. You defied me before, so I had to see to it that you can no longer do it."

Regina was relieved that the heart was hers; even though she knew what was in store for her. But as long as her children are safe; she was fine with whatever Cora throws her way.

"What are you going to do? Crush it to dust?" Regina rasped out.

"Oh no, I just want to make sure you can't use your magic on me. I really don't want things to go down this way, but it appears that it is the only way I will get what I want." Cora said, stroking Regina's cheek. The gesture was anything but loving.

"And what would that be?" Regina hissed.

"The death of that daughter of yours, of course. She should have never existed in the first place, and it's about time that I correct this mess."

The blood drained from Regina's face, and she could swear that she saw her heart skip a beat in the box.

"You won't stand a chance with her; she stood up to you from the second she was inside me. You won't be able to kill her now." Regina growled.

"Oh, but you see Regina, she too has a weakness. She would gladly give up her life in exchange for yours; not that she will get the chance to finish the deal." Cora continued to taunt her daughter.

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked, horrified.

"You already know that magic is distributed here in different concentrations; any shift, like say from a portal, is easily detectable. It takes a few seconds between the opening of the Vortex and when the passengers arrive. I will be there waiting for her, and as soon as she comes through I will kill her. _S__he_ won't stand a chance." Cora's voice was low, dangerous and dripping with venom, "and after she is taken care of, you can finally have the life I always wanted you to have." She adds, smiling down at her daughter's horrified face, before disappearing.

* * *

**Okay guys, here's the next chapter and I don't think I'll be able to update tomorrow. **

**Let me know what you think and I hope you all enjoy this.**


	40. From Fear To Eternity

**To Jason, yes she really is that! And now you sound like Henry xD**

**To Ann, shocked is exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Glad you liked it and I hope that this is soon enough ;)**

**To TruEvilRegalxox, yes very cruel world indeed ;) and I don't think Ariel will let you take the pleasure away from her. **

**To EvilRegal95, no worries dear, she won't die! She is my absolute favorite character and this story is about her so no she won't die! She will go through hell and back but she won't die. I am not THAT cruel xD**

**To carriemarrie78, well I was supposed to stay over at a friend's house but then plans changed, so Merry Christmas xD**

**To Maddy, I guess you'll have to wait and see how it plays out ;)**

**To hershey1993, well I think I owe you a warning that all the upcoming chapters are going to end with evil cliffies so brace yourself. Thank you so much for the compliment, and I hope that this is soon enough ;) and don't worry my dear, like I said before, you will be happy with the ending.**

**To rickmantic, I hope that they put some of those chapters into the show! And they better give Regina a happy ending or I might go all Cora on the writers xD and I never said that fluff was dead, it is just resting for now ;) and I think we'll be getting the terrace scene soon. Yes it is her favorite party trick, but using it on people is one thing and using it on her daughter is another! And no pardons needed…she is exactly that xD. The end shouldn't be too far off now, and thank you.**

**To Gizela, no hilarious comment? :( **

**To all, the deadline for me to finish this story got pumped to Sunday, so I guess I have more room to breathe and you guys have a few more days to enjoy this :D**

**Fair Warning: the angst in this chapter is sky-high! And you will all need tissues!**

* * *

Regina's body ached all over and her head throbbed with pain. Her mother had pushed her too far with her magical torture the night before, that she actually passed out on her. She didn't want to let go of the enveloping darkness; but at the same time she didn't want to give her mother the satisfaction of watching her like this. It's bad enough that her screams escape her mouth and lungs before she can get a chance to stop them. She could feel her mother's annoying, evil presence in the room. She slowly turned her head to the side, before prying her eyes open.

"Well, good morning darling." Cora greeted. She was standing less than five feet away from Regina, with her cape and dress, royally spread around her.

Regina turned onto her side, and used her arms to push herself off the stone floor. She leaned against the walls of the cave and glared at her mother; she could tell that Cora had something up her sleeve. She had a smug look on her face, and in all frankness; Regina was not in the mood to play games.

"Just get it over with, mother. There's no need for pleasantries now after everything you've done" Regina barked.

"Oh don't worry dear. You're off the hook today; and tomorrow the real work begins." Cora replied nonchalantly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Regina asked with trepidation in her voice.

"Like I said; I always get what I want. And now that I have solved our problem, we can finally work together to achieve what you were always meant to do." Cora explained, and gave her cape and dress a dramatic pull towards her body.

Regina's eyes widened in horror, and lunged forward. She suddenly found herself pinned against the stone wall, with the rocks acting as restraints.

Cora smirked at Regina's expression, and moved around like a predator stalking its prey.

Regina's eyes kept flickering between her mother and what was lying at her feet.

There, lying unconscious, was Ariel, her baby.

"Leave her alone!" Regina seethed; pulling at the restraints.

Cora ignored her daughter's angry order, and kneeled down next to Ariel's unconscious form. She moved her onto her back, and possessively stroked her cheek, "All this anger and hostility, over _her_" Cora taunted.

"She's my _daughter_; do what you want to me, but please leave her alone." Regina pleaded with her mother.

"Regina, a queen should never show weakness; certainly no tears either." Cora reprimanded.

"I am _not_ a queen and I never wanted it, and I don't want it." She shot back.

"One day, you'll understand that I was only doing this for your own good and you'll thank me. A person must never allow the presence of a weakness." Cora's voice was hollow.

Regina's breathing was irregular and shallow by then; she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She kept looking back and forth between her mother and daughter, tears falling down her cheeks, "please..." she pleaded with her mother.

With one swift motion, Cora pulled her right hand from under her cape; revealing a dagger and thrust into Ariel's stomach.

"NOOOOOO" Regina screamed, as Ariel's body jerked awake. Her hands immediately wrapped around Cora's, her eyes widening in horror and pain.

Regina tried pulling onto the restraints, "Mother, please stop this." She desperately pleaded with her mother. She let out another ear piercing scream when Cora twisted the dagger in Ariel's stomach; causing the latter to gasp for air, as her lungs filled with blood. Cora yanked the dagger out, and Ariel fell to the floor, shaking. She then waved her hand and released her daughter, before she disappeared.

Regina immediately crawled over to her daughter, and lifted her into her arms. She tried desperately to use her magic to heal the wound; but whimpered in defeat when she realized that as long as her mother is controlling her, she won't be able to.

"M…o…m" Ariel stuttered.

"Shhhhh, baby it's okay." Regina whispered gently to her daughter, cupping her face and stroking her cheek.

Tears were falling heavily down her cheeks, and her body was shaking with silent sobs. She felt Ariel's shaky hand resting on her arm, just above her wrist.

"I'm….s..sso…rry…I…c…ccou….ldnt…s..ss..ave…y…you." Ariel said, her breathing becoming even more ragged. She was gasping for air and shaking violently in Regina's arms.

Regina shook her head, "No, don't say that." She pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead, "I'm so sorry." She sobbed.

"I…l….lo..v..vve…y…you."

A sob escaped Regina's lips, "I love you too baby." She whispered back to her daughter; before she watched in horror as the chocolate orbs that were always filled with love, warmth, light, and life; became cold, empty and _lifeless, _as the life finally left her daughter's body and she lay limply in her arms.

Regina let out a gut wrenching scream, pulled her daughter closer to her, and burying her mouth in her daughter's hair, sobbing loudly.

She kissed her repeatedly, whispering "I love you" to her, hoping that it will bring Ariel back; like Emma did with Henry. But the horrific realization that her love wasn't enough, or maybe even not pure enough to bring back her daughter, hit her when she didn't feel the familiar breath tickling her upper chest. She wrapped her arms tighter around the lifeless body and rocked them gently.

She couldn't believe that her baby was gone again, and this time for good. She failed her again; she couldn't protect her and in the end Ariel was the one apologizing for failing to save her. Sobs wracked her body, as the guilt and pain became too much for her to bear; her baby was gone and it was her fault. She let her down; she failed her. She was hoping and praying that Cora would just crush her heart to dust and end her misery. But no such salvation came; she was still alive in the cave and her baby was gone; at the hands of her mother, no less.

* * *

**Okay, I know that this is short and that it's probably the most evil cliffhanger of all, but it is 2:30 AM and I am super tired. Next chapter will be tomorrow I promise, and you guys won't be disappointed. **

**As always, reviews are more than welcomed, and feel free to call me all sorts of names ;)**


	41. Knights In Shining Jeans And Fur

**To EvilRegal95, don't worry my dear, I'm not cruel ;)**

**To Katwad00, well I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out ;)**

**To Percabeth4ever, well I'm glad you're letting it slide! Don't want the donut army on my tail ;) **

**To Jason, well I'm sure your Kleenex box agrees with the fact that it was sad ;) and yes Cora has the upper hand….for now ;)**

**To Gizela, you do realize that your ALERTS are hilarious as well! I bet you're a hoot to be around! You remind me of one of my besties….I always end up with a stomach ache from laughter because of her, just like I do with your reviews xD**

**I think I wanna know what they think *smiles innocently* :P**

**And maybe they should…after all laughter is the best medicine and you my dear are HILARIOUS! So maybe I should tell my doctor friends ;)**

**Lana as Lady Macbeth would be BRILLIANT! I hope they do it!**

**So now I owe you 3 spa trips and one to the dentist to fix your tongue! My poor bank account :P**

**And yes, I have covered up a few horns in my day ;P**

**TELL ME ABOUT IT! That scene in 'into the deep' with Charming going on about knowing her and true love's kiss and the rest of the sentimental crap had me gagging and snorting like hell! I had the exact same facial expression as Lana!**

**I don't think she'll be evil again, but I think she'll have to use her magic to defend herself against her adorable mother. One thing for sure though….a few more heartaches are in store for her! But I was just telling my friend that I think that the only person who will actually defeat Cora is Henry!**

**Yes, a pissed off Ariel is very good!**

**Well, since it is almost midnight here in Egypt and I am still alive and typing away on my laptop, I can assure you that there will be no apocalypse and we will enjoy OUAT again in 2 weeks' time.**

**Exactly how am **_**I **_**responsible for the how you perceive Regina glaring at Hook! You put those images in both your head and mine, so it's on you my dear :P ;) and please don't forget that he is MINE again :P and ENOUGH WITH THE IMAGES! :P:P**

**No worries Cora will hear and get exactly what she deserves!**

**I already said I owe you three trips to the spa for your nails! What more do you want woman?! *sighing dramatically* :P :P**

**Well, why don't we run it by her? She's saying no, she likes being the GOOD mother ;) :P**

**Very very subtle indeed :P**

**Of course I'm modest! *batting my lashes***

**I like physics actually! Not a big fan of the electrical potential crap but the rest is fine with me! I just hate math and chemistry! :)**

**I am a witch hun, so mindreading is one of my tricks ;)**

**I don't want to see Regina in pain at Cora's hands either, but I have a sinking feeling that you and I are in for one nail-biting episode in the near future!**

**Well, yes no one steals in Storybrooke! Regina made the town peaceful and quiet! So no point in stealing from the mayor and former Evil Queen, especially if you can't run and hide :P **

**Well I guess it is safe to assume that Cora has gone far off the deep end.**

**When your psycho grandmother from the dark depths of hell itself takes your mother, her own daughter, whom she just ripped her heart out and leaves to a different realm, your mind sort of goes BLANK! :P:P but hey, I'm not the psychobabble expert ;) :P**

**Oh hun! No need for notes for me! She walked right into this one *high five***

**That is the expression I always use whenever I'm having one of those throbbing headaches. Glad you liked it so much ;)**

**ROFL! I don't think she's adopted!**

**And your French is back again :P I like it. ;)**

**Hun, even when you're scolding Cora or me you are still hilarious! Like I said, you remind me of one my besties…she had us on the floor laughing about Graham's death! So I guess I can end this with Regina dying and you will still make me laugh hysterically :P**

**Maybe I should write you as a character into the story so you can tell Cora to ***off all you want? ;)**

**I wonder where you heard them before. :P**

**And I think that Spa is going to be an appointment with a plastic surgeon! O.O**

**So you want to kill Cora a million times over, and you're NOT violent! Damn, remind me to make sure you don't become one! :P**

**And Lake Nostos is dry, remember? :P ;)**

**Calm down woman! I said I'll update today didn't I?! :P**

**Yes, shattered is beneficial ;)**

**Here's you MORE XD.**

**To AnotherDeadBlonde, well I think that's the reaction I was hoping for. xD**

**To EvilRegal, damn you Cora indeed! **

**To Ann, glad you liked it hun and don't worry, epic battles will be fought! And yes that scene was nice, I couldn't help not putting it in to piss off Cora.**

**To rebakathy, most evil cliff hanger known to mankind?! Wow, that bad, huh? ;)**

**To jcat30, good to hear from you again and why do I feel like I'm being scolded? xD**

**To Metope, well there you are girl! Hope your exams went well and good to hear from you again. Well, I missed you too :P and I think I will kill Regina for bonus so that you would come here! :P**

* * *

Regina was leaning against the stone wall of the cave, silent tears making their way down her cheeks. It had been ten days when her mother killed her daughter. She waltzed in the next day and nonchalantly yanked the dead body away from Regina and left. She told her that she threw it into the sea, "where I'm sure the sharks are having a blissful dinner by now." She taunted. Regina shook her head to try and quench the disturbing images of sharks ripping her daughter's body to shreds.

Never in her life had she wished for her dark magic; but when she attacked her mother, taking her by surprise, and pinning her hands over her head; she very much enjoyed the look of pure horror on Cora's face, and she wanted her dark magic back to make her mother pay. She never enjoyed that reaction from people whenever she ripped their hearts out or even glanced at them, and it haunted her dreams; not that she ever let on. But this time, it was not only welcomed, but it was needed. Of course her control didn't last long, and Cora had her screaming in pain again.

When Regina passed out from the effects of her mother's magic that day; she realized that she didn't dread the darkness that enveloped her. On the contrary; she welcomed it. The physical pain clouded the aching pain in her heart -or where it's supposed to be- and it delayed the inevitable of having to face her daughter's death and what it means.

Unfortunately for her though, Cora picked up on her agenda, and she stopped pushing her far enough that she passes out. She knew what her mother was trying to do; she was trying to get her back to that desperate state that she will seek the comfort of the lack of emotions –with the exception of anger and pain- and asks her mother to help her regain her title as the Evil Queen. But Regina wasn't going to surrender; she knew that it would only be a matter of time before David comes to the rescue with a plan. She knew he was probably consulting Rumplestiltskin and that eventually she will either get her heart back from her mother; at which point all hell will break loose on Cora and she will learn the true meaning of a mother's love. 'Hell hath no fury like a mother's scorn' she thought bitterly. And if that doesn't happen; she was sure her mother will resort to crushing her heart; and she will be finally free, free to join Daniel and Ariel.

It's true that she promised Henry she won't use dark magic anymore; but she was sure he won't blame her. Hell, he might cheer her on, as she gives the woman who killed his big sister exactly what she deserves.

Thoughts of Henry cause her chest to tighten; if she dies, will Cora leave him alone? Or will she go after him now that both his mother and sister are out of the picture?! If Cora wants Henry, she will kill all who dare to stand in her face; which means Snow, David and Emma will most probably end up dead.

She slumped over in defeat, and a soft sob escaped her lips at her helplessness. She failed to protect Ariel and now she is failing Henry and Snow. Maybe she was never meant to be a mother; maybe she should have never adopted Henry; maybe Ariel should have never found out about her and stayed in the sea with Triton and Athena. Red said that they were happy.

She closed her eyes, as more tears slid down her cheek, at the knowledge that Ariel will never be happy again. Her mind flashed with images of Ariel in the past few weeks; crying and screaming in Cora's arms as a baby; her pleading eyes as she looked at Rumple; August turning around with her pale and unconscious in his arms; that cheeky smile that she inherited from her father, that always got her away with things; her contagious laugh; how the word 'mom' sounded from her and how she easily it rolled off her tongue; and last but not least, the way her eyes always shone with love, adoration, warmth, joy and _life_. A far cry from the empty, cold, deserted, _lifeless_ eyes she looked into a few days ago.

It had been 4 more days since that fateful day; 14 days in total that she spent here. She wasn't sure of what she was hoping for anymore. On one hand she wanted to rip her mother's heart out and crush it to dust for what she did to Ariel; and on the other, she wanted her mother to just kill her so that she doesn't have to face living without her daughter, _yet again_. But the second option included leaving Henry; and she didn't want to. Her son had gone through enough pain already because of her, and if she dies, then he is left unprotected against her mother and she can't allow that. She can't fail both her children; she has to at least protect one.

She heard the creek of the door as it spun open; and she felt her mother's annoying presence filling the room once again.

"Still sulking over that worthless daughter of yours I see." She taunts.

Regina's eyes snap open, and Cora visibly flinches at the amount of hate, anger and fire coming out of them. She knew that if Regina got her magic back, that there will be no stopping her and Cora _will_ end up dead.

"She is NOT worthless; she is worth more than you'll ever be." Regina snarls.

Cora scoffs, "Oh, but she wasn't even of royal blood; her father was a stable boy. So I think worthless describes her well."

"And neither are you; you are the daughter of a miller!" Regina snaps; smirking at Cora's fallen face. She couldn't help it and Cora had walked right into that one. She mentally cheered when Cora visibly paled and was trying hard to decide what to do with her daughter.

Regina suddenly gasped for air; her ribcage tightening around her lungs, preventing them from expanding and squeezing all the air out of them. Wave after wave of pain chorused through her with every flick of her mother's wrist. She was well aware of the pain; but focused more on trying to get air into her lungs. She cried out in pain through clenched teeth, when she felt something inside her break; and she was sure that one of her ribs cracked under her mother's hold. Cora released the hold on her chest; and Regina full out screamed in pain. Both from the fractured rib and the magical torture swirling inside her.

* * *

It was a pitch black night; moonless sky and only a few stars littered about. Unbeknown to both women, a set of yellow eyes -swimming in an ocean of pitch black fur- were blazing with venom and fury as they observed the scene from the hole above ground.

Ruby worked hard to make sure that she doesn't growl; she knew that she had to this right or else all would be lost. Once she felt like she had enough information to go on; and unable to withstand Regina's agonizing screams anymore, she runs back to shore. She turned back into a human and jumped into the water. A 5 foot sword-fish is waiting for her, and she supports her weight on it. A few minutes later, she's out in the middle of the ocean.

David –holding a beating, glowing heart in his hand- is standing in the water, with ringlets of water surrounding him to keep him afloat without any effort on his part. The second she arrives; similar ringlets surround her and she relaxes. The sword-fish respectfully stays beside her, awaiting commands.

David gently puts the heart back into Ruby's chest, and she lets out a small gasp. Triton turns around at the sound of her gasp, letting go of Athena, and revealing a tear-stained, silently sobbing Ariel.

Athena had her arms wrapped tight around Ariel, one hand gently resting on her head, murmuring kisses and making shushing sounds. Ariel has her arms wrapped tight around her mother and her head resting in the crook of her neck.

"I'm going to kill that bitch" Ariel snarls from her place in her mother's arms.

Triton, Athena and David both fought the urge to tell her to watch her language; neither one wanted to join Cora in the bad books at the moment. Ariel had a murderous look in her eyes, and she was out for blood. Whatever previous reservations she may have had about killing Cora, were long gone and forgotten.

"Well, dawn is only two hours away." David says softly.

"You both know what you'll do?" Ariel asks in a murderous voice; and they both nod. She lifts her head from her mother's chest and looks at her parents; who also nod.

Her eyes cloud with determination, pure hate, anger and venom. Her body is shaking with rage and remnants of sobs leave her lips occasionally, "this ends today" she vows.

* * *

The sun started to cast its rays through the hole into the cave; illuminating it and washing away the cold night breeze. Cora is still in there torturing her daughter; 'trying to knock the sense back into her head' as she put it. Her temper had gotten the best of her when not only did Regina not comply; but she also had the audacity to shoot angry remarks at her and push her buttons.

Regina was now lying on the stone floor of the cave, blood trickling down her face and cheeks from a gash on her forehead. Her mother had successfully broke at least three ribs and she could barely breathe anymore. Not to mention, the many bruises and cuts that accessorized her body.

Cora was standing a few feet away trying to figure out her next move. She knew that broken ribs could very well lead to a punctured lung; which is fatal. She tried healing Regina, but apparently you can't heal wounds that you caused, leaving her with one option; Lake Nostos. Only problem is; Cora had used most of her energy torturing Regina; that she won't be able to teleport over there. She will have to walk some of the distance; and she has to do it while supporting Regina's weight and making sure not to push the ribs into her lungs.

She kept weighting her options, and finally decided to teleport as close as possible to the lake, and then walk. She walked over to her daughter, put one of her arms around her shoulder and hoisted her to her feet. Regina groaned in pain; but was too exhausted to fight her mother. She wanted to recoil from this woman's touch; but her ribs seemed to disagree, same for her legs.

Cora slowly made her way out of the cave with Regina. She took a few steps towards the woods to leave the island, before she can smoke out to Lake Nostos, before she staggered a few steps backwards. A sharp lightening bolt hit the shaking ground beneath her feet, and she lost her hold on Regina; who fell to the ground and screamed in pain at the sharp and forceful contact with her ribs.

Before Cora was able to comprehend what had happened; she heard a sound that she knew all too well. She turned around and was met with a set of yellow eyes blazing with fury; said eyes were accompanied by angry growls and sharp white teeth clenched tightly together.

She raised her hand to attack; but found herself pinned to the ground under the weight of the werewolf once again. Ruby had her claws dug in Cora even more forcefully this time, her entire body shaking with anger and her eyes daring Cora to make a move and give her a reason to bite her head off.

And right on cue, Cora decided to try and attack Ruby. She managed to free one of her arms from Ruby's hold, when she was momentarily distracted by David. She plunged said hand inside Ruby's chest; and her eyes widened in horror when she found it empty.

Ruby's temper was beyond flaring and since her wolf instinct told her to rip this woman to pieces; Cora's move wasn't very smart, because all it did was piss Ruby off some more. She knew she couldn't kill Cora; that it had to be Ariel, to make sure that she will actually _stay_ dead and not find a way back from the afterlife. Her growls became louder and angrier as she swung her claw and cut Cora across her torso; before she ran after David, who had an unconscious Regina in his arms.

* * *

Regina was vaguely aware of her mother dragging her out of the cave, and out onto the island, where the blazing sun greeted them. She squinted her eyes at the bright light, before she found herself hitting the ground hard. She cried out in pain and rolled onto her back; to get her weight off her ribs. She could hear a familiar growl echoing through the air and a familiar voice calling her name in panic.

She opened her eyes, and was met with a scene she never thought she'll see. David was sprinting in her direction; worry, fear and panic itching in every detail of his face and in his voice as he called her name; and Ruby was in her wolf form and once again trapping her mother beneath her strong claws.

She cried out in pain again when David made a move to carry her; "my ribs" she whispered to his questioning gaze, and saw his expression darken. He tried again, this time more mindful of her injuries.

It seemed that once she knew she was safe from her mother and in David's arms; her mind decided to surrender to the overwhelming need to slip into the welcoming darkness. She knew that Ruby would rip Cora to pieces for what she did to Ariel; and she allowed herself a wistful smile before she allowed the darkness to take her. The last thing she remembers is David's angry voice barking out Ruby's name.

* * *

Cora was confused as to why Ruby didn't rip her to pieces, and only settled for a gash; knowing that she is more than capable of healing it. She watched with menace, as Ruby waited till David gained significance distance ahead with Regina in his arms, before she followed suite. She healed the wound and moved towards one of the tents to get her daughter's heart. They think they can outsmart her, did they forget that she had Regina's heart and that she can kill her and they won't be able to stop her?

She had only managed to take two steps towards the tent; when a familiar presence halted her to a stop. She turned around and there she was; standing a few feet away in a threatening stance, with every inch of her body screaming bloody murder, was Ariel.

The weather was starting to change in response to Ariel's mood; sky was getting darker, wind howling around them, lighting and thunder roaring through the angry sky.

"Hello, Cora" Ariel snarled.

* * *

**Aaaaaaaaaaaand another cliffhanger! The next chapter or two will be action and then we'll be back to the fluff so we can all have the happy ending we've been waiting for. **

**Let me know what you all think.**

**Gizela, we're in the same time zone?! How come? Where are you from?**


	42. Clash Of The Witches

**To Percybeth4ever; yes, yay she's not dead! **

**To carriemarri78; patience my dear, all will be explained.**

**To EvilRegal95; I was in tears after the last chapter too xD and no thanks needed, I can't kill Ariel! Can't do it to Regina ;)**

**To EvilRegal; yes go get her, and she will whoop it for Regina, Daniel and the entire land! I have absolutely no idea who Chernabog is! And like I said before; I wouldn't lose hope for Regina just yet ;)**

**To Ann; short and to the point! Glad you liked it xD**

**To TruEvilRegalxox; I didn't do anything my dear *angelic smile* and yes KILL HER! But Ariel does want the pleasure, wouldn't you? ;) and I hope I live up to the expectations.**

**To AnotherDeadBlonde; lol, yes Go Ariel!**

**To jcat30; well I was going for the mini-heart attack effect and looks like I succeeded ;) and I'm glad I can make you happy; ask and you shall receive xD. Emma and Snow's absence will be explained later. I like the heroic version of Charming, not the lovey dovey one or the goofy one, and yes he does have his moments for sure but I like him better this way. Here's the more ;)**

**To Jason; yes she lives, couldn't let Cora have her way and Cora is no match for Ariel ;)**

**To Marissa; thank you my dear. I wish it happens too.**

**To Gizela; hmm it appears you're not as smart as I thought ;P ;P**

**I do have my moments xD**

**Yes please *nodding head enthusiastically* **

**Keep laughing like that and I will have to pay for your hernia operation! Have some mercy on my bank account ;( :P**

**And yes I only covered up a **_**few**_**! *scolding* :P :P (joking by the way)**

**No worries my dear; I like romantic and fluffy but not to the point where you gag! And Charming and Snow are just far too much! It aint cute….it's annoying! And one of my friends thinks it's cute too, same for my roommate! They both make for good eyes rolling exercises xD**

**She won't be all sweet and lovely, but she will be a good mother to Henry. I think Henry will stand up to Cora without magic; or the strongest one there is actually, true love! His love for Regina is what will defeat Cora; or so I believe.**

**I just saw the new promo and am gaping! I have a feeling that the Regina who makes Emma fly isn't actually Regina but Cora in disguise! And yes I am already gawking at the screen waiting for the episode! And if Lana said it then it's true ;P ;) I was jumping on the bed when I read that tweet!**

**Talk about kinky coincidences! And can you not remind me that it is in 2 weeks, CAUSE I WONT BE ABLE TO WATCH IT! :'( :'(**

**Hook on a silver platter! That would be the best xmas gift ever! *dreamy eyes* **

**I'm afraid Lana is not available for your tree, since she's under mine! :P and I thought a new chapter was your xmas pressie! You're getting greedy dearie :P :P**

**Well you know Cora; she was never modest! :P overwhelming is her motto!**

**Oh I would love a spin around the block on a broomstick! xD**

**So not only are you Freud; but you're supercop too! My story, my Storybrooke, my prudent! :P :P (joking again) ;)**

**Yes, Regina passing on her temper to her daughter comes in handy at times, but not so good in others ;) and no compared to you Mrs. Freud I'm not! :P**

**I didn't laugh when he died either; but she managed to make a comical scene out of it! No idea how, and don't even get me started on what she did to us with that fight scene! And Swan Queen makes me nauseous! xD :P **

**And hun; Egypt is nice in xmas yes! And while I appreciate the…um…gesture! I don't think you should fly all the way here for good old me *smiling sweetly***

**Hmmm, I wanna read the story with you in it!**

**Aaaaaand thank you for THAT image Mrs. Hook! And should I book an appointment with Mark Sloan then?! ;) xD**

**You and your not-so-innocent smiles! xD**

**Well; the last episode isn't a part of this fic, so Lake Nostos still dry :P**

**Alive is a relative word! She thinks her daughter is dead and mommy dearest is torturing her! So she's a dead woman walking!**

**I think I like your dinner idea too *evil grin***

"she was sure her mother will resort to crushing her heart; and she will be finally free, free to join Daniel and Ariel."  
Not so fast sweetheart. You'll do but not exactly in a way you think;)

**What on earth do you mean my dear? *battering my eyelashes innocently***

**Her daughter is dead, overthinking is part of the package :P **  
""And neither are you; you are the daughter of a miller!" "  
Oh please, go on! *grins evilly* **I knew you would like it! xD**  
""I'm going to kill that bitch" Ariel snarls from her place in her mother's arms.  
About time. **ROFL!**

**Yes, Cora and sense in the same sentence seem to have a weird ring to it! xD ;)**

**Cora is just adorable, loving and sweet isn't she? :P**

**Well, Regina does have all the 'reasons' Ruby needs to kill Cora, but Cora just has to give her another one, she can't resist! ;)**

**VBEG indeed! **

**Your poor unfortunate body….and my bank account! Enough with the chewing lady! :P have some patience ;) :P**

**Yeah, it's 2 hours! And only a 4 hour flight *VBEG* **

**You can drum your fingers all you want missy :P I aint scared of ya ;)**

**I know that this chapter was supposed to be yesterday; but I have a wedding in two days where I am the Maid of Honor AND wedding planner, and I was still shoeless and my dress was being altered! So sorry for the delay! **

* * *

David was running as fast as his legs would carry him considering the added weight of Regina and making sure that he doesn't trip and fall. He was worried sick and mad as hell; her own mother broke her ribs. He wanted to get her to Triton as soon as possible so he can heal her. He didn't know if her ribs punctured her lungs or not, and he wasn't going to wait around and find out.

His mind immediately drifted to the absurdity of the situation; if anyone had told him before that not only will he forgive the notorious Evil Queen, but move in with her, care for her and be mad as hell because she's hurt, he would have called them insane! But looking down as the unconscious woman in his arms; the no longer imposing or dangerous woman, he could feel his anger getting worse. She had a gash on her forehead with dried blood trail down her face; a few bruises on her chest and shoulder -those are the ones that he saw-he was sure that there were more hidden injuries underneath her clothes. Her own mother had done this! The woman who was supposed to protect her from any harm no matter what the price is, was the one who eventually hurt her the most!

Yes true; she did hurt Snow on many occasions, but never like this! He had been thinking and comparing the two since that day in Archie's office, and with every passing moment he became more convinced that even at the height of her reign; Regina was like a drop of water compared to Cora.

Ruby was running next to him – in human form- and was his only navigator back to shore. The sounds of the angry waves reached his ears, and he picked up his pace. Triton and Athena were waiting near the shore.

Triton reached over to take Regina from David, "Careful, her ribs are broken." David hollered over the sound of the waves.

Ruby and Athena's eyes widened in horror at his statement, and Athena began helping her husband heal her daughter's mother. David and Ruby were watching them closely; the wind still bellowing around them, and sending drops of water from the ocean their way.

Triton and Athena furrowed their eyebrows, and looked worriedly at each other, before looking back at Regina.

"What's wrong?" David yelled.

"Cora is blocking our magic, especially the healing. Regina is badly injured; there are three broken ribs, bruises all over her body, and she's bleeding internally. She needs to be healed now!" Triton hurriedly explained.

David and Ruby paled immediately.

"Is it possible that she's not healing because of her missing heart?" Ruby asked; her tone hopeful.

And right on cue, Regina's chest-where her heart is supposed to be- glowed bright red.

"It's back in her chest; we'll give it another try." Athena yelled.

"And if it doesn't work?" David asked.

"We'll need Ariel's help!" Triton answered him.

* * *

Cora stood in her place with a proud, arrogant stance glaring at Ariel. Ariel's eyes were blazing with fury, anger, and vengeance. Her jaw was set straight and her fingers curled into a fist. Her nails were digging in her flesh and Cora knew that she was trying to make sure that her anger doesn't take over.

"All you people with emotions are predictable; you came running to save your mommy, just like I predicted. Even though you took your sweet time." Cora smirked, and Ariel glared.

"You're just like her; allowing your heart to control your actions." She continued.

"Well at least I can be proud of it." Ariel fires back.

Cora scoffs, "You think that your little act of bravery saved her? Aren't you forgetting something my dear?" she taunts, waving her hand in the air, and a small wooden box appears.

Ariel smirked, "I don't think I forgot anything. Like you said, I took my sweet time to make sure that I get this right."

"You're such an arrogant little witch, aren't you?" Cora snickers.

"Well, you did forget something my dear."she teases, opening the box and tilting it towards Ariel. She frowns at Ariel's lack of a horrified expression. Her confusion, and most importantly her temper, grow at her smirk. She looks down into the box, and to her surprise and horror; it's empty.

"Missing something?" Ariel scoffs.

This sends Cora over the edge. In one swift motion; she throws the box to the side and sends magical energy swirling through the air towards Ariel. Ariel put both her hands up in defense; before stretching them to the side. Instead of decimating it; she turns it into a ring of fire, and it surrounds the two of them; effectively trapping both of them within its confinements, and guaranteeing that Cora won't be able to get out, magically or otherwise.

Cora draws a huge fireball from the flaming inferno and throws it at Ariel. Ariel lazily flicks her wrist and the fireball disappears into thin air.

Spells, fireballs, energy balls, and lightning bolts are going back and forth between both women; both fighting for the upper hand; and neither of them gaining it.

Ariel sends a combination of lightning and wind towards Cora and it effectively knocks her off her feet. She is about to send another surge of energy towards her; when she stops dead in her tracks and Cora visibly flinch at the look in her eyes. Ariel was mad before; but now she is beyond furious. Cora is confused as to why she is suddenly even more pissed than she was; she hasn't even seen her mother, so why is she so pissed?

Ariel puts her palms up so that they face each other and creates a bright, golden sphere. Cora immediately scramble to her feet, and throws another surge of energy towards Ariel. Ariel releases one hand from the sphere and counteracts the spell heading her way.

To Cora's surprise and confusion; Ariel doesn't throw the sphere at her, she turns around and sends it towards the roaring sea.

"Blocking healing spells? Really?! Are you really that desperate?!" Ariel growls.

"Aren't you going to run to mommy dearest? I broke at least three ribs; and if they put a hole in her lungs, I don't think she can survive. And bleeding to death is agonizingly painful; you don't want that now, do you?" Cora taunts. Even though she would not let on; and she sure as hell won't admit it to anyone –not even herself- but she was intimidated by Ariel and she knew she needed time to think of a different strategy. She was expecting Ariel to come through a portal and she would be waiting for her; killing her as soon as she's out of the vortex before she even gets a chance to fight back. But this took her by complete surprise; she was here, angry as hell and ready to take her down. She knew that this time; Ariel was hell bound on killing her. She gloats triumphantly; when Ariel's face contorts in pain. The gloating smile falls when Ariel's eyes are once again sending daggers her way, and her expression darkens.

"Ever heard of multi-tasking?! I don't have to go; I am going to do it right in front of you, so that you get to watch all your efforts failing." Ariel seethed.

"You think you can take me on, while you're splitting your focus?" Cora asks incredulously.

"Didn't I take you on when I was about 5minutes old? Actually; didn't you try to abort mom since she told you she's pregnant?!" Ariel hisses; smirking at Cora's fallen face.

Cora's eyes widen in horror at the realization of the underlying meaning behind Ariel's remark, "They weren't powerful spells; I couldn't risk injuring her. She was to marry the King; I needed her in one piece." She tries to cover up.

"Oh they were powerful alright! But I had some help. You see Cora; when your mother is the devil incarnation, and she just killed the man you love right in front of your eyes; that sort of makes you more protective of the child inside of you, knowing that said child's existence is unwelcomed by her. Those spells were powerful, but every magic comes with a price. You killed Dad with your magic; and I was the price, or rather the reward to mom. You tried repeatedly to abort her; again using your magic, and the price was that we stopped you. Her hyperactive protective instincts triggered her magic; but it was subtle. I protected her then; and I will protect her now. YOU. WONT. LAY. A. FINGER. ON. HER. AGAIN." Ariel barked.

Cora could feel her anger bubbling and her blood boiling; her temper was flaring high. She stretched her arms towards Ariel, and the magical battle began once more. What was enraging Cora was that Ariel seemed to be refuting and deflecting her magic effortlessly.

* * *

The sea and sky were roaring with lightning, thunder and extremely high waves; as the wind bellowed around the two women. The sky was dark with the clouds covering up the blazing sun; the only light stemming from the explosions of energy surges colliding against each other; the occasional lightning bolts, and the blazing inferno surrounding the women.

Cora sent three consecutive surges at Ariel; and they are too close together that she only manages to deflect two. The third one's blow is lessened but not completely obliterated, and it sends Ariel flying backwards. She lands on the ground, and a sharp piece of wood slice her across her side and extends onto her stomach.

She vaguely registers the pain; as she hears her father's voice in her head telling her that her mother needs her again. She jumps to her feet instantly; she sends another spell at Cora before turning around and sending another bright, golden ball out into the sea.

Cora uses the distraction to her advantage and she jumps Ariel. She sends her flying against one of the cottages and she pins her against its side; her arms over her head, held in place by magic and her hand. The other hand, grasping her face aggressively.

The lack of horror on Ariel's face fuels Cora's anger and she digs her nails into the bloody wound on her side; causing Ariel to cry out in pain.

"You were never supposed to exist; I sacrificed too much and spent way too much time taming your mother for her to run off and marry a stable boy. Love is weakness, because it blinds you from what is important; power. If you think that _you_ will be able to stop me from taking back what is _mine_; and making sure your mother gets the life that _I want_ for her; you are very much mistaken. She is my daughter and her life belongs to me." She hisses at Ariel.

"Love isn't weakness; it's strength. If power really is what lasts; then how come it never did for you? How come it was never enough? Why did you always feel the need to destroy people's lives? Her life doesn't belong to you to dictate; it belongs to her. you killed the man she loves and ripped her daughter away; and you went after Henry. A mother is supposed to protect her child; not be the one to torment them. ButI guess not every woman is meant to be a mother." Ariel retorts.

"Well; apples don't fall far from trees. Emma seemed incredibly worried about Henry being with your mother alone." She taunts; hoping to catch Ariel off guard.

Ariel, having been told the story by Emma and Snow, wasn't surprised, "the apple got blown away by the wind this time. Did Emma look like she was concerned that Henry was with mom when you came? Did she even look like she resented mom?" Ariel snapped back, "she is _nothing_ like you. You had to put a piece of your own corrupt soul inside of her to get the result you wanted; because you knew that she would never become like you." She continued.

Cora narrows her eyes and growls, "Say hello to your father" she barks, swinging her hand towards Ariel's chest.

The white glow appears on Ariel's chest and another blue one emanates between them; the former zapping her hand, and the latter blowing her away from Ariel simultaneously.

Ariel's eyes widen in shock, and she glances down at her chest.

Cora roars in anger, "NO! you were never able to produce it again".

Ariel lifts her head and smiles at Cora, "that's because I never did in the first place." she says softly.

Cora tries to get up again, but Ariel binds her with magic.

"I never created the shield in the first place; mom did. Or more specifically; her love." she hisses.

Cora fights against the magical restraints, but can't break free.

"Love is weakness." Cora snarls.

"Oh for the love of everything that is good and pure! You've been saying that crap for decades, and you were proved wrong time and time again. Love isn't weakness, it's strength. True love is the most powerful magic of all; and it comes in many forms. The strongest of which is a mother's love; and I have two. I was never able to get the shield back up, because it was never me who created it the first time around; it was mom. She was screaming and crying in the other room because she thought I was dead; praying for a miracle that will bring me back to life. Her love is what saved me from you then; and her love, combined with Athena's, is what saved me now." Ariel yells.

"You are just as much of a fool as your mother was; believing in true love! It didn't save your father now, did it?"

"If you weren't threatened by it; then why did you trick her into letting her guard down? You knew that if she was on alert, it could have very much protected him." Ariel barks.

"She should have listened to me; if she had, that stable boy may have lived. She defied me and did what she wanted. Her life belonged to me; and I was the only one who was looking out for her best interest." Cora retaliates.

And then it dawns on Ariel; the real reason behind all of this; the real reason why Cora resents her daughter so much, that she was able to rip her heart out and torture her endlessly for 14 days.

"Oh my god; that's just it, isn't it?" she whispers incredulously, "this is why you resent her so much? Because she never needed you; or at least not in the way you wanted. She was loved by all of those around her; that she never turned to you for help. Her father; my father; Snow; Henry…."Ariel trails off.

Cora's face is ashen at Ariel's words; and they take her by surprise that her mask drops completely. And Ariel immediately knows that she hit the jackpot.

"She was always loved, and she was actually capable of love. She achieved the one thing that you couldn't. And therefore; you destroyed everything and everyone she ever cared about in the hopes that she will turn to you for help; but she was still in pain and angry; that instead of asking for your help, she went over your head and straight to the man who made you what you are. She got rid of you; and moreover, she never missed your presence. Even when she became you; she never once wanted your help." Ariel taunts.

Cora roars in anger again; "That little ungrateful bitch; I lay the world at her feet and she refused it. And for what? For love?! I am her _mother_ and she should've listened to me; and once I kill you, I will get her back."

"She didn't want the world; she wanted to be happy. But then again; you only care about what you want. It was never enough for you; you had power but you were never happy and therefore; you destroyed everybody else's, starting with hers. You know what; no more. You won't hurt her anymore; this ends NOW" Ariel growls.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Cora smirks.

"Exactly" Ariel confirms.

"You don't have it in you; you can't kill me"

"There's a difference between 'cant' and 'wont'. I never wanted it to come to this. But alas; we are where we are."

"that'll make you as much of a monster as I am." Cora taunts.

Ariel visibly swallows, "if it means that she'll be safe from you; then it's a price I'm gladly willing to pay." Her voice is dangerously low and menacing. She flicks her wrist, and a glowing, beating heart appears in her hand.

Cora's eyes widen in horror, "whose heart is that?" she asks; although she had a sinking feeling that she already knew the answer.

Ariel gave the heart a gently squeeze; and Cora gasped in pain.

"You see Cora; I actually don't have to plunge my hand into somebody's chest to get their heart. All I have to do is _will_ the heart into my hand, and it's there. And when I couldn't sense your heart in your chest and will it out in Storybrooke; I knew that you had removed it. It took me two weeks to get here, because I was mastering the power. And making sure that I can will hearts in and out blindly. _That_ is how I got mom's heart into her chest; and that is how I got yours."

"What will your mother think when her baby girl kills her mother? Surely she won't be thrilled!" Cora taunted.

"As long as she's safe from you" Ariel hisses.

Cora gasps for air; and falls to her knees in pain. Ariel squeezes the heart tighter, before finally crushing it into dust, and lets it fall at her feet. Cora is lying on the ground; motionless and lifeless. Ariel gathers the blazing inferno into one fireball and sends it towards Cora's dead body.

"Ariel!" Ruby screams her name. She turns around in time for Ruby to tackle her in a bone crushing hug. She wraps her arms around Ruby and holds on tightly.

They both look on as the fire eats away at Cora's body. A few minutes later; the fire dies down, and all that is left is ashes. Ariel flicks her wrist again, and a gust of wind carries the ashes and scatters them over the ocean.

* * *

Ariel hated herself to great lengths at the moment; Cora's words echoing in her head. She didn't feel any anger or remorse over killing Cora; which is what is upsetting her. Surely she should feel, _something_.

"Hey; you had no choice." Ruby soothes.

"I know, I just…" she trails off.

"Regina will understand; she knows it's the only way that you, Henry and Snow will be safe, and that is all she cares about." Ruby assures her friend.

"I know. How is she?" she asks.

"Your dad is still working on her; Cora really did a number on her."

Ariel sighs and winces at her friend's words.

"You're not her Ariel; she's the monster, not you. You had no choice and you did this to protect Regina; Henry, and the rest of the land. Stop feeling bad about it."

"That's just it; I don't feel bad about it. I feel relieved, and…and…I don't think it's normal." Ariel yells in exasperation.

"Yes it is. This woman put us all through hell; especially you. She got what she deserved; and you did what you had to do to protect your family. She ripped her own daughter's heart out and tortured her constantly for two weeks. I think anyone who is capable of doing that deserve whatever they get. I mean even Rumpelstiltskin drew a line somewhere; but she never did. She tried to rip your heart out as a baby! She killed Daniel in front of Regina. And she took you away! We are all relieved that she is gone; and stop worrying about your mom. I don't think she'll hate you for it." Ruby assures her firmly.

Ariel sighs, running her hand through her hair and rubbing her face.

"I know. Come on; let's go."

* * *

Triton and Athena had just finished healing Regina; when Ariel and Ruby emerge from under water. David is surrounded by the water ringlets, and watching Regina intently. 'why isn't she waking up?' he thought to himself.

"What's wrong? Why isn't she waking up?" Ariel's frantic voice mirrors his question, "is it another magical block?" she asks.

"No, she's completely healed." Triton answers her warily. He's frowning at Regina; and he can sense that she has absolutely no intention of waking up.

"Maybe it's the exhaustion; and she's probably dehydrated." Ruby offers.

"Are you sure it's not a sleeping curse?" Ariel asks, slight panic evident in her voice.

"No; she was talking when I got her. Ruby is probably right; we need to get her to Whale. She probably just needs some fluids and some rest." David assures her.

Ariel turns around to face her parents; an apologetic smile on her face.

"Don't. You don't have anything to apologize for; I understand. Go take care of her; and now that Cora is gone, you can come back anytime." Athena assures her.

"Henry already decided that we'll be spending the weekends here; so I'll see you guys more often than now. We just need to tie up some loose ends" Ariel whispers.

"That sounds great, sweetheart. I can't wait for that. You will always be my baby girl" Athena says; gently cupping her daughter's cheek.

Ariel throws her arms around her and hugs her tight; "I love you, Mom." she mumbles against her hair.

"I love you too, baby" Athena whispers.

David takes Regina from Triton; and he heals Ariel's wound before hugging her tight.

"Thanks, Daddy. I love you."

"Anytime, darling. I love you too." He kisses her head softly.

* * *

Whale is sitting in the Emergency Area, when out of nowhere a vortex appears and Ruby comes flying through.

"Ruby!" he exclaims.

"Get a gurney ready." Ruby orders.

He opens his mouth to question her; when David comes through the portal, landing on his back; with an unconscious Regina on top of him.

"Nurse; we need a stretcher out here, NOW!" he barks, rushing over to David and Regina.

"What happened?" he asks.

"Cora's been torturing her for the past two weeks; 3 broken ribs and internal bleeding. They're all healed now; but I think she may be dehydrated." David hastily explains.

"Jesus Christ" Whale exclaims.

The nurses pull up with the stretcher; and David and Whale put her onto it. Whale and the nurses wheel her away; Whale already barking orders.

David and Ruby are staring after them, when Ariel's voice pulls them out of their reverie.

"Where's mom?" she asks in a panic.

"Whale took her." Ruby informs her.

"You should call Snow." She distractedly tells David; walking over to the glass window overlooking the room where the doctors are working on her mother. She stands there watching in slow motion; as they moved around her, hooking her to different machines, with Whale barking out orders that she is unable or unwilling to comprehend.


	43. A Dark Day's Journey Into Light

**To rebakathy; Snow and Emma's absence will be explained. Same for Regina's state. **

**To TruEvilRegalxox; oh she's a bi…witch alright! I think the entire town is proud of Ariel xD and no worries dear, all will be explained.**

**To EvilRegal95; I wanted something kind of poetic; hence crushing her heart, and the dramatic effect was how Ariel got a hold of the heart! Glad you liked it hun; and yes I am afraid this story is coming to an end. About 4 more chapter or so; and I am thinking about a plot for another story but I'm not sure yet! Maybe when the show returns I'll get another idea. But please don't be sad; have a very blessed and merry Christmas.**

**To Jason; Regina will be fine, don't worry. It will all be explained.**

* * *

Regina was swimming in a vast ocean of darkness; and she felt at peace. She knew she was out of her mother's reach, and that David and Ruby were giving her mother what she deserves for what she did to Ariel. She didn't want to wake up and leave the calm and serenity of the darkness. Here, her daughter doesn't have to be dead; she can be alive and joyful. Here she can relive any memory she has of her daughter; or live it with her for the first time.

She went back to her birthday; Ariel laughing and talking with the guests that filled the Mayor's house and garden. To Ariel and David dancing and swirling to the music around the living room; her training sessions with Henry at the stables; how much she reminded her of Daniel; and to the last morning she saw her. She even imagined a different ending to the day when Ariel found out she was hers. Ariel had gone to her; she didn't wait in the darkness. She had her baby in her arms; and she suffocated her with hugs and kisses and had her sleeping in her arms.

She didn't want to remember her death; how cold she was; her body shaking before it went still; her eyes filled with pain before it went blank, cold, empty, and lifeless. She didn't want to remember her daughter like this; she wanted to hold on to the vibrant, joyful version of her.

She didn't want to let go of her peaceful surroundings; she didn't want to face her daughter's absence; she didn't want to have to tell Henry that she failed to protect his sister. She knew it was selfish; that Henry and Snow probably need her now more than ever; that the responsible thing to do was go back to them. But she wanted more time; she _needed_ more time.

* * *

Much to her dismay; she could feel the hold of darkness on her weaken. She could feel herself drifting back to earth; she could hear noises. She recognized the beeping of the hospital machines; after all they echo in her head every time the sleeping curse is mentioned. She expected the pain to hit her; and to her surprise she only felt the dull aching pain in her chest. She whimpered out weakly; trying to hold onto the darkness.

"Mom"

Regina couldn't believe it; that was Ariel's voice. How is that possible? How is she calling her?

She whimpered out her name; trying to hold onto her voice. She wanted to go to her; stay with her, hold her in her arms and never let go.

"Yes, mom, it's me. Come on"

Her voice is urgent and pleading; tears and worry are obvious.

She whimpers out again.

"Come on, Mom. It's okay; you're safe."

Regina feels her daughter's touch on her cheek; her loving, gentle touch. She doesn't understand how is it possible, but she doesn't care. She wants her baby; she wants her in her arms, alive.

She hears David's voice in the distance; but she pushes it away.

"Come on, Mommy, please!"

Unable to tolerate her daughter's pleas any further; she holds onto her voice and touch; allowing them to pull her out of the overwhelming darkness.

* * *

Her eyes flutter open, and close again. She hears a relieved gasp and someone squeezing her hand. She hears David's urgent voice, "I'm gonna get Whale"

She pries her eyes open again; and her heart skips a beat at the sight. She finds herself staring into the same chocolate eyes that she never thought she'll ever see again. Her mind immediately flashes to the empty, cold, lifeless ones she saw last; but she is quick to push it away and focuses on the ones looking at her now; with nothing but love, concern and relief in them.

"Oh thank God." Ariel whispers; tears cascading down her cheeks.

Regina lifts her hand; realizing too late that Ariel was holding onto it, and cups her daughter's cheek, wiping the tears with her thumb.

"Ariel" she says faintly. Her eyes still haven't left her daughter's and she's refusing to blink; afraid that she'll disappear.

A sob escapes Ariel's lips and she leans into Regina's touch. She kisses the inside of her palm; before taking it into hers and lowering it from her face. She rests both of their hands on her chest; with the back of Regina's hand resting over her heart. Not realizing how loaded that gesture is to her mother.

Regina's eyes darts to where her hand is; afraid to believe what she feels under it. Her daughter's steady heart beat; the warmth of her skin; and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

"Mom?" Ariel calls gently; using her other hand to cup her mother's cheek.

Regina's eyes snap back to her daughter's at the sound of her voice; she's still afraid that this is all a figment of her imagination; a way for her mind and heart to coup with her daughter's death. But how can it feel so real? The heartbeat; the gentle, loving touch; her lively eyes; the concern and love in her voice? How can all of this be a dream?

She leans into her hands; and keeps staring at her. Ariel is watching her closely, concern itching in every detail of her face. The fog in her mind is gone; and she registers that she is lying in a hospital bed. The sounds of the machines are in the background; the bustling noises of the hospital staff outside her room.

All the signs are pointing towards one fact; her baby is alive and well. Tears rise to her eyes; and her heart rate accelerates. '_her heart! How is it there?'_ she wonders briefly, but pushes it back.

"Ariel?" she chokes out. It's not a statement; it's a question. She wants the reassurance that her baby is actually alive.

"Yes, mom. I'm right here." Ariel assured her, squeezing her hand gently and presses it harder against her chest.

Regina lets out a breath; half sob, half laugh and allows her tears to fall down her cheeks heavily. She untangles her hand from her daughter's and presses her palm to her chest.

"You're alive." She sobs.

Ariel furrows her eyes in confusion at her mother's words; but noticing the way her mother's hand is pressing against her chest, she puts two and two together.

"Yes,mom, I'm a live. I'm right here!" her voice is firm yet gentle. She gets up from her seat, sits on the edge of the bed, and leans into her mother's embrace.

Much to Regina's surprise and relief; her ribs don't hurt under the added pressure of her daughter's weight; they don't hurt at all; neither do her arms. She wraps her arms around Ariel and barriers her nose in her hair. Her fingers clutch the fabric of her shirt and holds on tightly. She's half sobbing, half laughing in relief and taking in her daughter's smell.

_Her smell!_ Her mind flashes to the limp body in her arms; and she realizes that the smell wasn't there.

"Your smell" she chokes out.

* * *

Ariel allowed her mother to hold her tightly; and she kept making shushing sounds into her hair. She figured out that Cora made her believe she was dead. And she was allowing her mother to get the assurance of life she needed. She was surprised at her mother's statement; so she pulled back from her but remained within her arms.

Regina allowed Ariel to pull back, but didn't let go completely. She still had her arm around her; her other hand immediately pushing some of her hair out of her face.

"My smell?" Ariel questions gently; her brows furrowed in confusion.

"She didn't smell like you" Regina tearfully declares.

Ariel's confusion only deepens. She opens her mouth to question her mother further; when the sound of the door opening halts her. She turns around in time to see Whale and David walking in.

"Welcome back, Madame Mayor. You gave us quite the scare" Whale says.

Regina's eyes move to him; and then shifts over to David, who smiles warmly at her. And she notes the relief and happiness starting to creep into his face.

"Ariel; I need to take a look at your mother." Whale states.

Ariel makes a move to get up from the bed; and Regina tightens her hold on her. Whale looks over at David; and they both note the panicked look Regina has in her eyes.

Ariel sits back down, and cups her mother's face. Regina's hands are on top of hers in a second.

"She didn't rip my heart out; I'm not dead. I'm not gonna disappear; I'm just gonna stand over there" Ariel states, pointing to where David is standing. Her thumbs are caressing her mother's cheeks, wiping the still cascading tears off her cheek.

Every single instinct in Regina was screaming at her to ignore Whale and David and just hold her daughter and keep her in her arms. But looking into the deep chocolate brown eyes; and seeing the amount of concern and plea in them, she sighs and nods slowly.

Ariel gets up from her place; and walks over to David, who immediately wraps his arms around her.

* * *

Regina doesn't take her eyes off her daughter; even though she has every single guarantee that her baby is alive, she's still scared that she will disappear if she leaves her sight. A warm smile graces her lips at David's protectiveness of her baby. Seeing Ariel wrapped in his arms; with concern, relief and exhaustion itched in every detail of her face; she is overwhelmed by how young, small and vulnerable Ariel seems.

She answers Whale's questions as best as she could; and 30 minutes later he declares that she is fine.

"I'll keep her here for a couple of days for observation; just to be on the safe side" Whale informs them.

Ariel lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding; and moves back to her mother's side.

"I'm gonna go call Snow." David declared.

Ariel stops in her tracks; much to Regina's dismay, and turns to David.

"It's 4 o'clock in the morning; you'll give her a heart attack" Ariel tells him, "just wait for a few hours and let her sleep." she adds.

"If we do that, she will kill the two of us! She's already gonna yell at me for waiting this long." He declared dramatically.

Ariel chuckles at him, "good point". Regina's heart skips a beat at the sound.

David leaves and Ariel sits back next to her mother; taking both her hands into hers.

"Now, who didn't smell like me?" Ariel asks worriedly.

* * *

Ariel is staring at her mother; with her mouth agape and her eyes the size of Jupiter. Regina's tears are once again falling heavily down her cheeks.

"I thought it was odd that your familiar scent wasn't present; but I thought it was because you were dead, or the damp smell of the cave covered it up. And I believed my eyes more than anything; you were dead. In my arms." Regina sobs.

Ariel shifts on the bed; and snuggles into her mother's arms.

"I'm right here mom. She didn't kill me; I wasn't even in the Enchanted Forrest; I was still here in Storybrooke." She assures; resting her head on Regina's chest.

Regina kisses the top of her head; and tightens her hold on her.

"But she'll keep trying!" Regina chokes out.

"No, she wont. She cant hurt you or anyone anymore." Ariel assures her.

"She doesn't let things go; she..." Regina's hysterical rant is cut short by Ariel's voice.

"Mom, she's dead. She's gone...I...I...killed her. You're safe, we all are."

* * *

**I know that the story was supposed to end today; but I couldn't wrap it up. No worries though, I wont strand you all for a month. I will update again next week.**


	44. The Wicked Witch Is Dead

**To Barbara Montgomery; welcome back home my dear and there's no need for apologies. You can review in Portuguese if you want and I will use Google translate if it's easier for you. I owe the title to you because your review on the chapter before this one you said 'Regina where are you' or something of the sort, so it gave me the idea of the title. The heart attack effect was the one I was going for xD and it is very much okay to want to kill me ;). Yes Cora is a bitch and she finally met her match. Many people think I should write the show but it appears the writers don't think so. Glad you liked it hun and I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Xoxoxo**

**To TruEvilRegalxox; you are very much welcome. I hope you had a splendid Christmas and a magnificent New Year.**

**To Metope, well you know that I can't resist ending things on a cliffhanger. I hope this answers your question.**

**To Gizela; how did the IQ test go? :P**

**I don't make you laugh that hard *flutters eye lashes* :P**

**I never said those horns were mine dear ;P**

**Yes; at least she can show it now; and at least he can accept it before I kill him! **

**And don't remind me of the execution scene! I was squeaking when I saw it 'MOOOOOOORE'! I think you rubbed off on me ;)**

**Twitter is 3arous_ElNile. Can't wait to have you there.**

**I was supposed to be swamped with work and relatives and wouldn't have the time to download it but no worries I squeezed it in xD. I need my Regina fix!**

**Are you sure that Regina is Cora's daughter and not you? :P**

**I think I'll take Lana *VBEG* and an equally big smirk :P**

**Okay; Mrs. Greedy! Hold onto your hair, here's the next chapter. ;)**

**I am actually going to the pyramids on Friday! Fancy I'll see you there? :P**

**Super-modest indeed! I am humbled by it :P**

**YESSS! StableQueen all the way! **

**I think elaborations aren't needed with us anymore.**

**Okay we already established that you called my bluff with Ariel! you are a genius…happy now? ;P ;)**

**I don't think there's enough Prozac on the planet to help Cora!**

**I did actually visit London about 5 years ago; and I don't mind giving it another run! So is that an invitation to stay with you? *smiles innocently***

**The wedding was fun but I was incapable of walking for 2 days afterwards; and I might use one of the pix on twitter so hurry up and add me already! xD**

**And we would all appreciate it if Cora remained one of a kind! Having two of her is just…..!**

**Cora is capable of getting away with many things! But that was before Ariel! **

**Yes the fact that she is the product of true love adds to her magical heritage! **

**Well; it appears Cora likes to do things the hard way! And at last they are all safe.**

**Stop yelling at poor Regina! Her daughter is dead :P**

**To Ann; I'm afraid it's nearing its end! Glad you liked it hun.**

**To Dakota Kent; well my favorite character is Regina so I guess she rubbed off on me. **

**To reginamillz; well I have a soft spot for dramatic twists; and tear-inducing ones too. Say hello to your sister xD**

**To Aby; I wouldn't lose hope for Regina yet ;)**

**To secretballetdancer; yes I remember college times. I loved bio though; and I no longer have to deal with math and chem but thanks for the offer hun xD. And it appears your wish will be my command! I can't seem to be able to wrap this up before chapter 50.**

**To Hana; here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Regina's mind went blank at her daughter's statement; her mother is gone! She stares at Ariel; and blinks a few times.

"W….what?" she whispers.

Ariel moves out of her mother's embrace; and only then does Regina's mind snap out of its shocked state. Her hands immediately dart towards her daughter's and she holds on tight; too tight perhaps.

Ariel smiles faintly and warily at her mother; before shifting on the bed to face her. Regina notices the amount of pain and guilt in her eyes; and Ariel's last statement finally registers in her brain, 'I killed her'. Her mind is swarming with thoughts; her mother is gone! They are all safe; she can no longer pose a threat to any of her children. But at what price?! Her sweet; loving daughter was forced to kill her own grandmother! She is snapped out of her reverie by Ariel's voice.

"I killed her! She's gone!" she whispers; her head bowed down, and refusing to meet her mother's gaze.

The way her voice sounded so small and scared causes Regina's heart to constrict; and the fact that her daughter was avoiding her gaze tore it to pieces. Her mind was telling her that she needs more words than 'I killed her' out of her daughter; but her heart was desperate to have those eyes look at her again. She had been seeing the cold, empty, lifeless ones for days; and she wants the vibrant, lively ones to look at her again. She needs to see the love and warmth in them.

Her mind snaps at her that her daughter is right there; alive and unharmed. But her heart stands its grounds and wins out. She untangles her hands from her daughter's and uses her index and thumb to gently hold Ariel's chin. She lifts her face so their eyes can meet; and her heart shatter at the amount of pain and regret in them.

"What happened?" she asks gently.

Ariel takes a long, deep breath and releases it slowly. Her lower lip is trembling and her eyes are glossy with unshed tears, as she starts her tale.

* * *

Only half of Regina's mind is registering what her daughter is saying; the other half is solely concerned with the amount of emotions in her voice. The amount of guilt is enough to crush the Alps and turn them to dust. What really confused Regina was the fear! Why was she afraid? By her own accord; the wicked witch is dead-for a lack of a better term- so what is she afraid of? If she can handle Cora-when the Dark One himself couldn't-then what could possibly cause her such fear and trepidation?

The part of her brain that is keeping up with the story pulls her back to reality when the story is done; and joins the other half. She should feel something, right? At least a little bit of sadness? Anything?!

This woman was her mother; granted that the title was applied as loosely as possible to her, but still. She is supposed to be sad for knowing that she is gone; and for good this time. Ariel burned her body; so there's no turning back now.

But she doesn't feel sad; she feels relieved. Her mother is gone, and her children are safe. She is safe; safe to live her life without fear; safe to love and be loved without the danger of losing them looming by. She doesn't have to worry about her mother ripping any more hearts; or down right torturing her.

No, she doesn't feel sad, she feels at peace.

"Mom, please say something." Ariel's voice is pleading; and tearful.

Regina snaps back to earth; but is still unable to find the right words. She tightens her hold on her Ariel's, and cups her cheek. She caresses it with her thumb, wiping away the cascading tears and smiles warmly at her, "I can't believe you had to do this" she exclaims softly.

Before either of them gets a chance to say anything else; the sound of pounding footsteps and the commotion outside interrupts them.

* * *

Snow and Emma's voices can be heard, as well as David's. The door of the room bursts open and Henry sprints towards his mother. Ariel barely makes if off the bed, before he practically flies off the floor and slams into Regina, knocking her back onto the elevated bed and pillows. Snow and Emma are walking fast towards the room behind Henry.

Regina immediately wraps her arms around her son, and buries her nose in his hair. Both of her fingers tangle in his hair and ruffle it, before they clench around the fabric of his jacket. Her body is shaking with a mixture of laughter and sobs; while his is shaking with pure sobs.

She presses a few kisses to his cheek and hair, and inhales his scent. He rubs his face in the crook of her neck; and she murmurs kisses and shushing sounds into his ear.

"Mommy" he chokes out; his voice so small and relieved, that it reminds her of the 5 year old, brown haired boy who used to have nightmares and crawl in next to her under the covers. He reminds her of her baby boy that she thought she lost.

"I'm right here, baby." She whispers into his ear, assuring him of her existence.

He releases a sob at the sound of her voice and tightens his arms around her neck.

A few moments later; he finally lets go, but remains in her lap, straddling her legs. She uses one hand to wipe away his tears; the other one still wrapped around him. His eyes haven't left hers; and she feels his small fingers clutching the collar of the hospital gown. She smiles warmly at him; and gets his hair out of his face.

"I thought I lost you." He whispers.

She shakes her head gently; "You're stuck with me for a long time, kiddo."

Her heart warms up at the small laugh he releases; before he crashes into her arms again. She rubs his back comfortingly; and smooth out his hair. He wiggles around in her arms, till he is comfortable with his head resting on her chest in the crook of her neck and his arm around her waist; with hers around his small torso.

"Mom?" Snow asks in disbelief.

Regina looks over at Snow and notices the look of apprehension in her eyes. Just like Regina with Ariel; she is expecting this all to be a dream.

Regina opens up the arm that isn't wrapped around Henry, inviting Snow into the hug. Snow doesn't need to be told twice; and in less than a second, she slams into Regina and starts sobbing into her hair.

Henry sits up to allow his mother to use her other arm to comfort Snow; and Regina immediately wraps it around Snow's shaking body.

She kisses the top of her head repeatedly, "Shhhhh; I'm right here. It's okay; it's all over" she whispers gently.

A few minutes later; Snow's sobs finally subside and she sits up from Regina's embrace. Regina keeps one hand in Snow's and wraps her other arm around Henry.

"Hey, my turn." Emma declares, tapping her mother on the shoulder.

"Welcome back Grams." Emma jokes, as Snow gets up from the bed.

Regina bursts out laughing at the remark; along with the others, and gives Emma a one-armed hug. They are all relieved to hear Regina's heart-felt laugh; and finally allow themselves to relax.

"Mom, please don't call her that. It's weird enough with Grandma calling her 'mom'" Henry mumbles; causing them to laugh harder.

Emma pulls back and ruffles his hair.

"You gave us quiet the scare" Emma gently scolds.

"You mean she scared the living daylights out of us!" Snow grumbles from beside her daughter.

Emma, David, Henry and Regina laugh and she glares at them, "it's not funny." She whines.

David –still laughing- wraps an arm around her and pulls her towards him, kissing the top of her head, "she's fine." He assures her and she rests her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry sweetheart" Regina says through her laughter; wiping the tears of joy from her face.

"It's just…..you were healed. Triton and Athena made sure of it; even Rumplestiltskin said so, but you still wouldn't wake up." Henry informed her.

"How long have I been out?" she asks warily.

They all exchange looks; before Emma relents and answers, "A week"

Regina's eyes widen and she stares at them. She is about to comment when she realizes that she can't see Ariel anywhere in the room.

"Where's Ariel?"

* * *

**And that's the new chapter folks. I'll try to get in another chapter today.**

**Happy New Year to All and hope you all had a Merry Christmas.**

**Gizela; you need to go back and review the earlier chapters with the quoting thing :P**


	45. It's All About Perception

**To secretballetdancer; I'll read your story during the weekend and I'll let you know. Glad you liked the chapter; and happy new year to you too.**

**To reginamillz; Emma was joking! I am with Henry on this one…it's just too weird xD and yes finally Cora is gone.**

**To EvilRegal; LOL! I think the writers will sue me for all the bantering I cause them xD. Thank you dear and I'm glad you liked it that much; and I'm not sure about a sequel but maybe a series of one-shots, or even an unrelated story. **

**To Jason; Merry Christmas and a magical New Year to you too. Glad you liked both chapters and that doesn't make you heartless….the witch with a b is dead! We are all waiting for that moment on the show.**

**To cristina134213; I have an eye for details and I am imaginative so I like to make sure my readers get the picture I want to draw. Glad you liked it and I am in love with the show and Regina; and here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Regina's heart stopped when Ariel's voice didn't immediately assure her of her existence in some unseen corner of the room. She looks at the three adults surrounding her; and starts to panic. They are sharing knowing glances; and even Henry falls silent and starts playing with her fingers. Her mind immediately conjures up the worst case scenario; she was imagining her, and they are trying to find a way to tell her that she's gone.

"Where is she?" she demands more frantically; not caring in the least how high her voice is.

They all turn and look at her with surprise and concern itching in every detail of their faces. Tears start cascading down her cheeks, and her breathing hitches.

"She's dead, isn't she? It was just a dream?" she sobs.

Henry sits up from her embrace and looks quizzically at her. Snow and David are looking with concern; and Emma is just down right confused.

"What do you mean a dream? Who's dead?" Emma asks.

"Ariel" she chokes out.

4 sets of eyes gape at her.

"What on earth gave you that idea?" Emma squeaks, "she probably just went to get something from the vending machines." She adds.

Regina desperately wants to believe her; but if it is true, then why do are they all sharing weird, knowing looks? Why do they all look like they're hiding something from her?

"I'll go find her." David declares; leaving the room.

"Why on earth would you think she's dead?" Snow finally manages to find her voice.

* * *

Emma and Henry are gaping at a sobbing Regina; with an unreadable expression on Snow's face.

"That's why Whale said that you were the one refusing to wake up; it was a coping mechanism." Emma mumbles distractedly.

Regina just shrugs; wiping her tears, "I just needed some time before I face all of you; time in a place where she didn't have to be dead."

"She's not dead, mom. She's very much alive and….kicking." Henry assures her.

"Yeah; all the signs are pointing towards that fact but…."she trails off.

"Hey; you have every right to panic! She –or rather the illusion of her- died in your arms. You have every right to freak out." Emma states firmly; her temper starting to flare.

"Then why would she leave? She knows about this; I told her. Where did she go? She already knows my mother is dead. Hell, she kil…"Regina halts in her rant and her brows furrow in deep thought.

"You know about that?" Snow asks softly.

"Yeah, I….um…she told me." Regina answers distractedly.

A ringer shoots through the air, preventing any one from saying anything any further.

Snow pulls her phone out of her back jeans pocket; "Hey" she says warmly.

Regina is closely watching Snow's reactions. She figured out by the tone of her voice that this was David; which means he's calling about Ariel.

"Okay; see you later." Snow says finally and pockets her phone again.

She turns around and smiles warmly at her mother's piercing, almost-on-the-brink-of-panicking gaze, "she's fine. She's on the roof of the hospital; clearing her head." She explains gently, "David had to go to City Hall for some meeting or something." she adds.

Regina nods solemnly; and they all note her longing and _need_ to hold her daughter.

"Exactly; what happened when she told you that she killed Cora?" Snow asks apprehensively.

"Nothing; I was speechless and I was confused as to why she felt so guilty and afraid. I was thinking things through; when you guys came." Regina answers; exacerbated.

"You didn't say _anything_?!" Emma asks incredulously.

"N…yes." She whispers in horror; realization finally donning on her.

"What did you say?" Henry asks expectedly.

"That I can't believe she had to do it" she whispers, and screws her eyes shut at the simultaneous gasps Snow and Emma release.

"I'll go talk to her; and you two fill her in." Emma instructs, before leaving.

"She left because of what I said?" Regina asks; her tone horrified and panicked.

"I think…..uh…..I think she may have taken it to mean that you're mad at her" Snow stumbles over the words, and winces at Regina's sharp intake of breath.

"For killing Cora?!" she asks.

"Yes; she's been terrified of your reaction ever since Cora took you and she knew beyond a doubt that the only way out is to kill her." Henry answers her.

Regina's face drains of all the blood and tears pool into her eyes; "she thinks I'll choose that monster over her?!" she whispers in horror.

"NO!" Snow assures her, "she just wasn't sure of your reaction; especially that she doesn't feel bad about doing it. She's relieved and glad that you're finally safe; she actually feels guilty for what happened to you." She adds.

"How could it possibly be her fault?!" Regina cries.

"Because she thinks if she had done it earlier; you wouldn't have gone through this. And that is why she is terrified of your reaction; she doesn't feel bad about killing Cora, she feels bad about not doing it sooner." Henry informs her gently.

"And what I said…"she trails off in horror.

"I don't think it helped much" Snow says sympathetically.

Tears make their way down Regina's cheeks; her conversation with Ariel playing over and over in her head. 'That's what the fear was about? She was terrified that I would resent her or push her away; and I gave her the impression that I did.'

Regina falls back against the pillows; both hands covering her mouth, as the sobs wrack her body. She swore time and time again that she will _not_ make her children feel the way her mother made her feel; and she failed time and time again. And now her daughter thinks that she chose that….over her! That she's mad at her for killing her to defend her family! Was she not listening when she told her that she made her believe she was dead? That she made her believe that her daughter had just been killed in front of her? How could she think that she would choose that….over her! Her own daughter…her baby!

She could feel Henry shifting in her lap, and the bed beside her dipping slightly as Snow sits on it; before they both wrap their arms around her. She holds onto both, and clenches her fist in the fabric of their shirts. They both rub her back soothingly; making quiet shushing sounds to her, as she finally lets all the emotions of the past two weeks take its toll on her.

* * *

**I know that this is short; but it is 3 AM here and I have work in the morning.**

**Let me know what you all think.**


	46. Matters Of The Heart And Mind

**To carriemarrie78; yea it was 3 AM and that's LATE xD I had work in the morning xD.**

**To Metope; lol glad I made you happy and that you enjoyed this. And a girl never gets sick of hearing it ;)**

**To Jason; tissue alert ;)**

**To reginamillz; tissue alert as well ;)**

**To Gizela; you do know that your current state is the PERFECT one for an IQ test ;P**

"I never said those horns were mine dear ;P"  
That sounds even more interesting! ;) **I think that trip to Egypt will be a lot sooner than I thought ;)**

**And yes, yes, yes please I wanna team up! In the new promo he's all over Emma and totally ignoring Regina; and Emma is telling her to stay away from him! They better fix that or Henry won't be the only one who will be in danger! : : : ;)**

**I soooo knew you were hers ;P**

I think I'll take Lana *VBEG* and an equally big smirk :P  
Damn, does it mean Hook is mine? OMGOMGOMG what do I do..? ...Ok, that was a rhetorical question! ;P **Enjoy him my dear ;)**

**Hmmm…maybe I'll post pix for the pyramid ;)**

**If not London; then where?! And as soon as you get your place let me know; I'll hop on the broom and come ;)**

**It was because of both; the 3 days leading up to the wedding I was tying up loose ends and buying last minute stuff for me and the bride; and then I was in a 5 inch heel and danced the night away! But it was great; thank you. **

**They haven't invented a word yet to describe Cora; let alone two of her! YAYKS! *chewing nails***

"What really confused Regina was the fear! Why was she afraid? By her own accord; the wicked witch is dead-for a lack of a better term- so why is she afraid of? If she can handle Cora-when the Dark One himself couldn't-then what could possibly cause her such fear and trepidation?"  
Possible condemnation from you? **I can't keep secrets from you can I?! ;) ;P**

**Calm down lady; I already said I was joking about the Grams thing and that Emma was just teasing. You and I both know that if this ever happens on the show, Emma will call Regina that to spite her ;)**

**And no I'm not joking about the 30 something chapters; I was going through the old ones and some things there just need your touch ;). Tell you what; after I finish the story you can start on them; fair enough? ;P**

""She's dead, isn't she? It was just a dream?" she sobs."  
Oh dear, she has a proper trauma about it! :(( **Ya think! ;P this one will be hard to shake off.**

""That's why Whale said that you were the one refusing to wake up; it was a coping mechanism.""  
I. Told. You. So. **Yes you did ;D**

Is it bad that at the very moment I just wanna clash their heads together? They REALLY need to stop jumping to conclusion over their own insecurities FGS! **Yes it is VERY bad; apples don't fall from tress and they were both traumatized. It will take lots of talking and cheering to pass ;)**

BULLSHIT! Regina, sweetheart, as much as I love you, get a grip and STOP.. it, will you? Thanks!;P **So this is you NOT yelling at your baby! What the hell do you call yelling then?! Oh right! I forgot you want to clunk their heads together ;P ya aint touching MY baby, hun ;P**

Apparently not. Ok, here is the plan:  
1. Regina and Ariel need to have a long nice chat,  
2. STOP blaming themselves about bloody everything AND  
3. stop THINKING that they blame one another for said everything. Yep, sounds about right! ;P

**Finally a plan we both can live with ;P**

**To The Rising Phoenix; first of all, welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. we are all holding on to the edges of our seats for next week's episode but like you said; we want some of these chapters in it xD, so you're in good company. **

**The identity of the decoy Ariel is she was one of the bodies Cora killed at the camp; she still had their hearts so she enchanted one of them to look like Ariel and controlled her.**

**I will see what I can do about the dream/comatose things.**

**I would love to resolve his name ordeal; as soon as we find out what it is on the show xD**

**To Aby; Happy New Year to you too my dear and my twitter name is in one of the author's notes.**

**To secretballetdancer; now that's what I call a threat, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see *Evil grin***

* * *

Half an hour later; Snow and Henry had finally managed to calm down their mother. Tears were still falling down her cheeks, but she wasn't sobbing anymore, so they decided to take their victories as they come. Emma was still on the roof talking to Ariel; and Regina was leaning in bed with a sleeping Henry in her arms. She's absent mindedly stroking his hair; silent tears making their way down her cheeks.

Emma's been up there for more than two hour; and there's still no sign of Ariel, and not even a text from Emma. She turns her head towards the door when she hears it opening; and sees Snow entering with a tray of food. She checks the clock facing her bed; 6:30.

"Hey; I got you some soup. Whale said you should eat something but to keep it light." Snow whispers, as she makes her way over to the bed.

"I'm not hungry" Regina whispers solemnly.

"Mom; you have to eat. You've been unconscious for a week, and before that…"Snow trails off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

Regina smiles warmly at her, and scoots over a bit so she can sit down with the tray.

"Ariel's fine; she just needs some time to let it all take its toll on her." Snow assures her.

"What do you mean take its toll on her?"

Snow mentally slaps herself for letting it slip; and tries to find a way to tell her mother without causing her any more pain.

"Well; she hasn't exactly reacted to anything. After Cora took you; she disappeared for a few hours but that was it. Even when you guys returned; she didn't react. She just sat in the chair next to you, day in and day out. She never left your side; and we all took turns with her." Snow explains gently.

"She hasn't let it go at all?" Regina asks incredulously.

"David said that she broke down in Athena's arms; but that's it. Throughout the rest of it; she was her usual bossy self, she wasn't even snappy. She surprisingly kept her cool." Snow assures her.

"She looked exhausted." Regina remarks.

"She is. She hasn't slept since Cora took you; none of us have." Snow says faintly; fighting the sudden tears that rise to her eyes.

Regina holds her hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze; "I'm right here Snow; and I am very sorry for everything that I put you through."

"Don't." Snow says firmly, "this is not your fault; you were kidnapped by your own mother." She adds.

"And you were poisoned by yours." Regina whispers.

Snow's eyes widen in horror at her mother's statement; and she could feel her anger towards Cora returning with a vengeance.

"Don't compare yourself to her! You are _nothing_ like her. She killed Daniel right in front of you and tried to kill Ariel. You put me under a sleeping curse! And made sure that David lives so it can be broken; you waited for 9 months to make sure that I give birth before Emma and I use the wardrobe; you knew it takes two and you were waiting till her birth, so David can see her. It's not your fault that Gipetto sent August instead and deceived us." Snow states firmly.

"You shouldn't have had to look for a way to save your daughter from me; you shouldn't have spent years in exile and terrified because of me." Regina cries.

Snow sighs and realizes that the kidnap may have caused old wounds to surface and that it all hit too close to home with her mother; but Snow has lived what Regina put her through and she honestly believes that Cora is a million times worse. An idea suddenly springs to mind and she sighs.

"I was no better than you, Mom. I had a potion that turns the most vicious enemy into a bug so I can use it on you; I took another one that completely blocked all the love I had for David and you so that I can kill you. You waited till I was a fully grown woman before you allowed your vengeance to take over; Cora's been tormenting you all your life."

Regina's face goes ashen at Snow's last statement; and Snow smiles warmly at her, "How do you know about that?" she whispers.

"Ariel" Snow answers simply; and Regina's heart skips a beat.

"She knows?" she asks in horror.

"She saw it all in the mirror; and when we were in the Enchanted Forrest, she showed some of it to me and Emma to help us understand. Cora was a monster; and you are nothing like her. You were miserable and in pain; and yet you were always there for me and my father. I know how hard that can be; especially with the internal struggle. If you had been _anything_ like Cora, I would have been dead a very long time ago. Stop doing this to yourself; don't let her win. We are all here and we all love you; and we will move heaven and earth for you if we have to."

Regina smiles warmly at Snow; and pulls her in her arm. Snow is quick to throw herself in Regina's arms and holds on tight.

A few moments later, she lets go –much too soon for Regina's liking and her own-"Now, can you please eat your now very-cold soup. I got bagel and eggs for me and Henry; but it looks like I'll pack it for him and have Ruby drop lunch for all of us." Snow reprimands slightly.

Regina giggles gently; "I am really not hungry."

Snow glares and scowls at her and Regina's giggle turn into a heartfelt laugh; "Now I see what David meant by having another copy of me to deal with." She teases.

"Yes; you taught me well. Now eat." Snow orders.

* * *

After finishing her soup under Snow's scrutinizing glare; Snow and Henry head to school, after many protests on their part, and even more glaring on Regina's. They didn't want to leave her alone; and there was still no sign of Ariel. Snow had called Emma to make sure that she actually _did _find her; and that Ariel hadn't opened a portal and went to Atlantica, and she told her that they were fine and just talking. Regina assured them that she was fine; and that she might even try to get some rest. After some hesitation and a few more glares from Regina; they finally relented and left.

They both suffocated her in hugs and kisses before they went; and made her promise not to sign AMA. Snow warned Whale on her way out that if he discharges her mother; she will rip him to pieces, slowly and painfully.

Regina wakes up with a jolt; her eyes snapping open. She had fallen asleep soon after Snow and Henry left; and had no idea how long she had been asleep. She is confused as to why she woke up startled; and as to what woke her up in the first place.

And then she hears it; the muffled sounds of hurling and coughing, coming from the bathroom. She sits up in bed, and checks the wall clock facing her bed. It's noon; so Snow and Henry are still at school, and Emma and David are at work too; leaving only one person left.

"Ariel" she whispers in horror, and shuffles from under the covers. Swinging her legs over the edge, she stands in a hurry; before falling back on the bed from the head rush. She sits there for a few seconds; and is relieved when the muffled sounds stop. She hears the sounds of flushing and running water; and a few seconds later, Ariel emerges from the bathroom; face wet and flushed.

Her eyes immediately fill with concern when she sees her mother leaning against the bed; struggling to get to her feet.

"Mom" she runs towards her, and Regina's hands are immediately in hers and on her arm, "what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Regina's heart flutters at the amount of concern and love in Ariel's voice; but seeing the pain and guilt in her eyes tugs at her heart.

She allows Ariel to help her back into bed; but refuses to let go of her hands. Ariel sits next to her; and checks the monitors for any signs of distress.

Regina reaches over and cups her cheek, "I'm okay baby; I was going to the bathroom to check on you."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." She apologizes.

Regina shakes her head; "Are you alright?"

"Yeah; it's just exhaustion and nerves I guess." Ariel assures her mother; still avoiding her gaze.

"Are you sure? Did Whale take a look at you?"

"Um…yeah. When we first got here; David insisted that he checks me out. He took blood and ran tests; he even forced me to get scans. I'm fine, mom, don't worry." Her voice is barely audible and small.

"I'm you _mother_, Ariel. It's my job to worry" Regina stresses the title, "I don't want anything to happen to you; I can't lose you." She adds.

Ariel finally decides to meet her mother's eyes; and Regina's heart shatters at the tears and fear in them; "Even after what happened?" Ariel asks tearfully.

"Oh, baby." Regina exclaims, pulling Ariel into her arms. To her delight; Ariel doesn't resist, and snuggles up to her immediately, burying her face in the crook of her neck and chest.

"Don't ever think that I will push you away for _anything._ I told you this before; you're my _daughter,_ my baby." Regina says into her hair.

"We were talking about rape, mom; not killing your mother." Ariel mumbles against her chest.

Regina sighs, and reluctantly pulls her daughter out of her arms.

"Cora has been tormenting me for as long as I can remember; I banished her myself and I never missed her. I miss who she never was; who she was supposed to be, a mother. I don't miss her; how could I after everything she did? She killed your father in front of me; she took you away and tried to kill you repeatedly. I lived most of my life looking over my shoulders for her; waiting for her next attack. Waiting for her to take somebody else I love; and she never failed. She made me believe that you died right in front of my eyes; and I couldn't do anything about it. You were _dying _in my arms and I tried healing you, but nothing happened because she had my heart. I never wanted my dark magic back; but the next day when she told me she threw your body to the sharks; I managed to jump her and take her by surprise. If I had my magic back at that moment; I would have ripped her to pieces. You're my _daughter _and she is nothing more than the woman who's been tormenting me all my life. I kept kissing you repeatedly; praying that my love will somehow save you, but…."she trailed off; unable to finish the sentence. Her breathing hitched and tears were once again traveling down her cheeks.

"It didn't work because it wasn't me, Mom. I was alive and well; your love did save me. It saved me from the ogres and it saved me from her." Ariel assures her mother.

Regina furrows her brows in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"The shield that stopped her from ripping my heart out as a baby," Ariel started, and Regina nodded, "that wasn't me, that was you." She adds.

Regina is now more confused by her daughter's words, "Do explain."

"Your love for me is what triggered my magic when you were pregnant. You were desperate to protect me against Cora; and you already loved me. But you didn't want to resort to magic out of fear of becoming her; so I decided to use it for you, so to speak. And the day I was born; you were praying for a miracle to bring me back to life, when I was alive. So when Cora tried to keep her word and kill me; your love stopped her." Ariel gently explains, "Mom, your love saved me and Killian from the ogres, and we were in a completely different realm; you really don't think it would've saved me when I was in the next room?" she exclaims gently.

"If you knew all of this; then why do you think I will choose Cora over you?" Regina murmurs.

"I never thought that; I know you love me mom. I never doubted it; it's just….I don't know how to explain it. I was scared that it would change how you look at me; that it would drive a wedge between us that will eventually tear us apart." Ariel voices her fears; through her tears, and Regina's heart stops in her chest.

Somewhere in the back of her mind; she makes a mental note to ask about how they got it back; but she decides to focus on her daughter for now.

"That's not going to happen; you're my daughter and I love you more than anything and anyone. Ariel; this curse was more than just about Snow and David's happiness. I wanted a second chance at life; one where I don't have to fight the constant pull of dark magic; one where I don't have to fear my mother. I never missed her presence in my life; on the contrary, I missed her absence. You just gave me peace of mind; I don't have to worry about her going after you, Snow or Henry anymore. I don't have to worry about her destroying my life anymore; I can live in peace. So how can I possibly resent you or even look at you differently for that? You've always protected me and this time it's no different." Regina assures her daughter; and is relieved to see some of the guilt disappear from her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Ariel asks hesitantly.

"Of course I am. And what happened to me was not your fault; she's the one who kidnapped and tortured me, not you. And 'what ifs' won't change anything; things are always meant to happen in a certain way. If you had killed her earlier, maybe I would have never found out about you; maybe I would have never got Snow back, or even have Henry in the first place." Regina answers her firmly, "yes, I wish that some things would have happened differently; we all do. But alas; we are where we are. Worrying about what might have happened or could have happened won't change anything; and it will only ruin the moment. Things worked out eventually; so don't let her win by ruining our lives even from beyond the grave. She's gone; never to return, and you don't have to worry anymore." she adds.

"Okay" Ariel whispers.

"Okay." She kisses her forehead and pulls her back into her arms.

Ariel snuggles into her arms and holds onto her hospital gown and the other hand rests on Regina's arm, right above the wrist. Regina's mind flashes to the last time Ariel was in her arms like this; but she shakes her head and sends the disturbing images away, choosing to focus on the living, breathing version of her daughter in her arms at the moment.

"I missed you, mom." Ariel mumbles sleepily.

Regina presses her mouth to her hair, "I missed you too, baby" she mumbles into her hair.

A few moments later; Ariel's breathing regulates and she drifts off to sleep in her mother's arms. Regina doesn't even loosen her grip on her daughter; enjoying the warm breath tickling her chest as Ariel breathed. She covers up Ariel; and slides back onto the pillows.

* * *

**That's all for today folks. A longer chapter since the other ones were very short and because I might not be able to update till Friday. **

**Hope you all had a blissful New Year and let me know what you think.**


	47. You're Not Real, You Dont Exist

**To reginamillz;I'll see what I can do about it and no need for apologies dear. **

**To The Rising Phoenix; not a flashback but rather Emma summing it up in conversations.**

**To EvilRegal; I thought it was cute too, and she just might do it again in a joking manner. Poor Daniel indeed; but like you said you never know.**

**To all; the story stopped following the show after Tallahassee; so the episode 'Queen Of Hearts' never took place; and therefore Regina doesn't know that her mother was her and that she was in Wonderland. Keep that in mind because it will come in handy later.**

* * *

Regina had been lying in bed for about two hours watching Ariel sleep. Ariel was still clutching her hospital gown; and Regina had no intention of prying it out of her daughter's hands. It was a bit unnerving at first; seeing her daughter so still in her arms, but the gentle rise and fall of her chest slowly eased her mind. She thought more about the death of her mother and the ramifications. Yes; it's true that a part of her did love her mother; but not for her. It was just the instinctive part that compels a child to love their mother; any other unconditional love Regina may have held towards her mother as a child; Cora managed to successfully obliterate it. It's true that a part of her wished that Cora would see reason; and maybe be a part of the family and share the happiness and peace of mind they all have now; but she also knew that her mother would never see reason when it comes to love. She believed it to be a weakness; and she spent her entire life trying to prove so. But looking down at her daughter's curled, sleeping form; Regina is convinced even more that love isn't weakness. Her love saved Ariel as a baby and from the ogres; the love of all of her children and her friends is what pulled her out of the dark, bottomless pit that she was in.

The sound of the door opening pulls her out of her reverie and she smiles at the nurse who walked in.

"Welcome back, Madame Mayor. How are you feeling?" the nurse asks warmly.

"Thank you; and I feel fine." Regina whispers in response.

The nurse smiles at the sight; she still can't believe that the woman in front of her is their Evil Queen and cold-hearted mayor.

"Did you eat anything?" she asks again; checking the machines and taking notes.

"Yes; Snow brought me some soup this morning."

"Good; we were going to bring you some lunch but your son-in-law called and said that he will bring it with him." The nurse informs her; still scribbling furiously in her chart.

"I need to check your blood pressure."

"Of course." Regina nods; wiggling her arm from under Ariel.

"Have you experienced any nausea or dizziness?" the nurse asks.

"Um, yeah. I got out of bed too fast, and got a head rush."

"Was that all?"

"Yeah, but I haven't really tried again."

The nurse nods in understanding; before moving around the bed to Ariel's side. Regina looks at her quizzically when she takes a hold of her arm, and starts to pull up the sleeve gently. She is about to ask her; when she catches sight of the catheter in Ariel's arm. Her eyes widen in horror and confusion; and her head immediately snaps up to the nurse.

"Why does she have a catheter in her arm?" she asks; and the nurse looks like a dear caught in head light.

"What's going on?" Regina demands forcefully.

"It's just for IV; some basic nutrition, Madame Mayor. Your daughter can't seem to be able to keep solid food down, so this is to avoid dehydration; and it also has some vitamins and irons, to give her some strength." The nurse calmly explains.

Regina's face goes ghost-white when she hears the nurse's words; "has she been living on IV and fluids the entire time I was unconscious?" she asks in horror.

"Um, yeah. Dr. Whale said that the amount of magic she used took its toll on her body; especially with the lack of sleep and exhaustion, that her body literally doesn't have the energy to digest food, so it sends it back from where it came." The nurse explains hastily.

"He's sure that's all there is?" Regina asks.

"Yes; he ran tests and did scans and found nothing. She's perfectly fine; she just needs a good rest. I'll come back later when she's up to put it in. I think sleep trumps the IV" the nurse assures her.

Regina nods at her, and looks back at her sleeping daughter.

"Is there anything else you need?" the nurse checks.

"No, thank you. Is it okay if I shower though?"

"Yes; as long as you're up for it. And don't stand for too long."

"Okay, thank you."

The nurse smiles at Regina and gives her a small nod, before taking her leave.

Regina looks down at her peacefully sleeping daughter; tears of guilt and gratitude rising to her eyes once more. She bends over; and presses a gentle kiss to her forehead; "Thank you baby." She whispers.

She untangles herself from the covers; careful not to wake her up, and tucks her in. She tip toes to the bathroom and sets about her shower.

* * *

About 20 minutes later; she emerges from the shower, puts the hospital gown back on after drying herself and picks up the hair drier that she found in one of the bags. She is about to turn it on, when a cry shoots through the air. She drops the drier and dashes out the door; and stops in her tracks at the sight.

Ariel is thrashing in bed; her hair sticking to her sweaty face and neck, her face contorted in pain, and she's mumbling incoherently. Regina is by her side in a nanosecond.

"Ariel; come on, sweetheart, wake up." She shakes her; but to no avail.

"MOOOOOOOM" Ariel's scream shoots through the air once more; and this time Regina's heart stops in her chest.

"I'm right here baby; just open your eyes. This is just a bad dream." Regina tries again; this time calmly, to wake her daughter up.

Ariel shakes her head from side to side, and tenses in her mother's arms. Regina lets go of her shoulders and holds onto her wrists; trying to stop the thrashing and hopefully wake her up. Before she can say anything else; David's voice cuts through the air.

"Oh no; a nightmare." He declares, dropping the take out in his hand on the chairs and rushing over to the bed.

He takes one of her arms from Regina; "Ariel, it's just a dream. Come on, honey, just pull through. Focus on my voice." his tone is firm but gentle.

Ariel screws her eyes shut; and shakes her head heavily.

"Just focus on my voice and pull through. It's alright, she's safe; this is just a dream." David presses.

Regina is looking helplessly at her daughter; tears cascading down her cheeks. She was always able to sooth Henry's dreams; why can't she sooth Ariel's?

Before she can contemplate the thought any further; Ariel lets out a final scream before her eyes snap open.

"Easy; take deep breaths." David soothes.

Ariel's eyes are wild and frantic; and her breathing is erratic and shallow.

Regina pushes back the locks of hair that stuck to her forehead and neck in an effort to calm her down; "Shhhhh, it's okay. It was just a dream." She says gently.

Ariel allows them both to pull her up, "Where are we?" she demands.

"The hospital in Storybrooke." David assures her.

Regina shifts on the bed and wraps her arms around Ariel; who immediately snuggle into her mother's arms. Regina rocks them both gently; and murmurs kisses and reassurances into her hair.

* * *

Half an hour later; Ariel had fallen asleep again against her mother's chest. Regina still had her arms around her; with her fingers running in her hair.

When she was sure that Ariel was fast asleep; she asked David to help her get into a more comfortable position without waking Ariel up. After they settle back into bed; David sits in the chair that Ariel was occupying earlier in the day, and Regina immediately glare at him.

"Whoa! Whatever it is, I didn't do it." He says; holding his hands up in surrender.

"Oh really?! Why didn't any of you tell me that she's been living on IV for the past week?" she scowls.

"Well; in my defense, I only saw you for about 20 minutes before I had to go after her. And we didn't want to worry you; we barely managed to get you back." he defends, "and besides, you didn't give anybody any chance to explain anything. You freaked out when she wasn't in the room; understandably so, if I might add." He adds.

Regina shakes her head to rid herself of the flood of images of the dead Ariel flashing before her eyes.

"It's just that…."she trails off, subconsciously tightening her hold on Ariel, who snuggles more into her in response.

"Hey; I get it. Emma stopped by City Hall cause I needed her with something and she told me the story. I would be freaking out too; but she's fine. She's right there in your arms; sound asleep, and she was safe and sound here in Storybrooke, till the day we got you out. Cora didn't kill her; hell I don't think she even managed to move one hair on her head." He assures her.

"How did you guys get me out?" Regina asks, "and how did you get my heart past my mother?" she adds.

"That is a very long story; one I will tell you over lunch." David exclaims; getting up from his seat and grabbing the take out bag.

Regina shifts slightly; so she can use one hand to eat, and David places the plate on the table close to her. He grabs his plate and sits back into his seat.

"So…the long story" Regina declares.

"Well, about two days before Cora came here; Ariel and I were with Henry at the stables when Jefferson decided to drop by. He rattled Ariel up pretty bad, and left her seething. Next thing we know; she has a glowing, beating heart in her hand. Jefferson had already left and she hadn't gone after him; so we knew she didn't rip it out. Her eyes widened in horror and panic when she saw it; and it disappeared off her hand a few seconds later." David starts his tale, and Regina furrows her eyes in confusion.

"She literally willed it out!" David exclaims; and Regina's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Exactly; so when Cora was on the roof of City Hall, Ariel tried to will her heart out. Apparently that power is hot wired to anger; and we both know Cora is more than capable to eliciting enough anger from Ariel to trigger the power. But when it didn't work; Ariel didn't think much of it, as it was still new. But when we went after you two to the woods and she saw Cora holding your heart; her fingers were sparkling with small lightning bolts; so she was more than angry enough to trigger the power; but she still couldn't get her heart out." David explains.

"How come? If my mother never knew that Ariel had this power; how can she block it?" Regina wondered.

"She didn't block it; she had no idea that Ariel can do this."

"Then why couldn't she will it out?" Regina asks, confused.

"Because Cora's heart wasn't in her chest; she was literally heartless." David exclaims.

Regina's mouth drops open in shock and her eyes grow wide, "Excuse me!"

"Yeah; we all had that reaction when Ariel told us, but it makes sense. If she has a habit of ripping people's hearts out; she would want to keep her heart safe, literally." David chuckles.

"That explains A LOT!" Regina declares, and David chuckles.

"Yes it does. Anyways; that is why it took us two weeks to get to you. Not only did Ariel have to master the power; she also had to make sure that she can do it blindly."

"Blindly?" Regina asks.

"Yeah; without knowing where the heart or the subject is. So she can will Cora's heart into her hand without having to hunt for it; and so she can will your heart back into your chest while you're safe with Triton and Athena in the middle of the sea. Which was another thing; she's not the one who ripped it out; so she had to practice willing hearts that weren't ripped out by her." he explains.

"And all of that only took two weeks?" Regina asks incredulously.

"Well; she was hell bound on mastering them as fast as possible, because she knew what Cora would be doing to you. And since we all knew as well; we really didn't mind. Yes it was exhausting and excruciating; but the sooner she masters it, the sooner we get you out, and the sooner she can actually rest. Because trying to convince her, Snow or Henry to rest before was just useless and I couldn't really blame them."

Regina nods, and gestures for him to continue.

"It didn't actually take her that long to master them; but she mastered doing them with undivided attention. Problem was; we knew that there was a high probability she was going to have to be the bate for Cora; to distract her so we can get you out. Which means she'll have to will hearts while she's fighting Cora."

"But how did you open the portal without her sensing it?" Regina asks.

A huge, smug grin spreads across David's face and threatens to split his face in half; "we opened the portal in Atlantica; which is under sea, effectively evading Cora." He declares triumphantly; and Regina giggles at his childish-like behavior.

"That's very smart actually; then what?" Regina compliments approvingly.

"Well; Ruby, Ariel and I went. And yes before you comment; Snow did blow a gasket but we managed to knock some sense into her head, or more like Granny did." David exclaims.

Regina raises an eyebrow in amusement; "Do tell."

"Well; Ariel had already decided that she's only taking those who are needed. Ruby isn't affected by magic; and she's linked to Ariel, so she is more than valuable. We knew you would probably be injured and/or too exhausted to walk, so that's what I was for. All three of us know how to wield a sword; so we more than had enough people to pull it off. Of course Snow was screaming that there's not a chance in hell she'll let us go and leave her behind her; and as much as I wanted to ease her mind, Ariel had a point."

"What point?"

"If Snow fell in Cora's hands; it would be a game of choose for either Ariel or you! Neither of which we wanted; Snow wasn't really needed. On the contrary; she was a distraction and a very nice leverage for Cora. Took about 30 minutes of yelling but eventually Granny stepped in and ended the argument."

"Good; the last thing I needed, was my mother capturing another daughter." Regina exclaims; relieved.

"She never really had Ariel, you know?" David states calmly.

"Yes; but I didn't know that at the time. And I didn't see her with you guys when you came for the rescue." Regina informs him.

"Well; the original plan was that we would send Ruby snooping around the woods for your whereabouts; and gather information, so we can plan an escape plan accordingly."

"What happened?"

"When we got to Atlantica; Triton had already gathered all the information we needed. Apparently he sensed the portal and sent one of the seagulls to explore. They told him the news and he kept a close eye on the island till we got there. Ariel already knew it like the back of her hand; so hatching an escape plan wasn't that hard."

"And the plan was…."Regina trails off.

"That Ariel would go open a portal at Lake Nostos; to bate Cora. As soon as she leaves you alone; Ruby and I get you out and take you to Triton and Athena. Cora can't follow us into the sea; and Triton is more than capable of wielding the sea against her; not to mention Ariel's hold on the water. And of course when you told me that your ribs were broken; their healing powers came in handy. Ariel would take Ruby's heart; so she would be able to channel her powers through her to sense for Cora; and to make sure that Cora wouldn't rip it out. But when we got to the island; we saw Cora leaving the cave with you. By that point; Athena was the one who had Ruby's heart, since Ariel was supposed to be bating Cora. So she knew that you were with Cora. Triton sent the lightning bolt and rattled the waters beneath the island, which shook the grounds beneath her feet. She lost her hold on you; and Ruby pinned her to the ground, till I got you out and then she gashed her and followed. Triton had already told Ariel through their connection; and she waited for us to leave before she went back to the island."

"What connection?"

"Ariel is linked to him and Athena through her mermaid magic; he can call her in his head, and sense when she's panicking or injured. If the link is gone; it means she's dead. It is weak when she's in a different realm; but still present." David explains.

"And then Ariel killed Cora." Regina finishes.

"Yeah; it was one hell of a fight, but she eventually managed to do it. And she was counteracting the blocking spells on your injuries, as well."

"I owe her my life; all of you." Regina declares.

"No you don't; you don't owe any of us anything! Cora made you believe that love was weakness; and that no one loves you enough to risk their life for you; and it was more than our pleasure to prove her wrong." David states firmly.

Regina sighs; and David could sense her hesitation.

"Hey; I mean it. We all do! Stop doubting that; we won't disappear and she can't take us away anymore. You are lovable Regina; don't let anyone convince you of otherwise." David assures her.

"Thank you, David."

"No need; it's the truth! And I think you know me well enough by now, to know that I don't compliment."

"And I'm guessing you know what the nightmare was about." Regina declares.

"Um...yeah...I have a pretty good idea." David stutters, "but I don't think you need to know." he adds.

Regina's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and she glares at him "she was screaming for me and refused to wake up; I think I have a right to know." she demands.

David rubs the back of his neck a few times; thinking it through and trying to find a way to let Regina drop it.

"David, I wont drop it, so you might as well just tell me, please." She pleads.

David sighs, and she knows she won.

He rubs his face a few times before he starts; "when we sent Ruby the first time to snoop around; it was the about two hours before dawn. Right before we rescued you; we only spent about 12 hours in the Enchanted Forrest." David starts and Regina's eyes widen in horrific realization.

"She saw Cora torturing me" she whispers in horror.

"Not only that; Ruby was in her wolf form and Ariel had her heart; not to mention that she has the hearing of a wolf too; so she also _heard _everything." David tells her.

"Heard me screaming!" Regina exclaims.

"Um...yeah" David agrees; thankful for the way out.

Regina cocks her head to the side suggestively; and she glares at David to go on.

"She heard the bones snapping"

Regina's heart sinks at his words; and her arms tighten around Ariel.

"We knew you probably had a few broken bones; but we didn't know that it was your ribs." He finishes.

Regina's vision blurs with unshed tears; and she keeps shifting her gaze between David and the sleeping Ariel.

"She was reliving it!" she exclaims.

"Yeah; I took the heart from her hands that day to decrease the connection. She was also worried that she might squeeze reflexively."

Regina leans down and presses her mouth to Ariel's hair; allowing the tears to slide down her cheeks. Ariel shifts a bit in her arms; but doesn't wake up.

"Hey; we'll get through this. All of us; you don't have to face anything alone anymore; and neither does she."

Regina nods weakly; still holding her daughter close.

* * *

**That's all for today folks. I might be able to update again tomorrow, but I'm not sure yet so don't hold your breaths.**

**Let me know what you think please.**

**To secretballetdancer; AMA is against medical advice, it's when you want to leave the hospital and the doctors have some reservations. They make you sign it; so that if any complications arise, you can't sue them.**


	48. Awakening

**To cristina134213; thank you dear, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't think Regina will get any complications from the punishment; after all Triton and Athena made sure that she was fully healed. Thank you once more; and can't wait for more reviews.**

**To reginamillz; well true it is pretty sick, but she can't possibly witness it and not have nightmares about it, poor her indeed. **

**To Aby31; no sweetie Ariel isn't getting sicker, she's just worn out. And I followed you on twitter, welcome aboard ;)**

**To EvilRegal; you and me both hun! ;)**

**To musiclover246; glad to hear that.**

**To Ann; yes very sad indeed.**

**To secretballetdancer; no problem hun and I watch way too many medical shows that I guess I forgot to explain, sorry. **

**To Metope; indeed.**

**To all; thank you for the reviews and feedback, and for reading and following this story. **

**Without any further delay; here's the next chapter.**

* * *

The rest of the day went by uneventfully; David left soon after lunch to keep taking care of her job. He told her that he and Emma had been tackling it for the past three weeks; they didn't want anyone in the real world to know that she had gone missing, seeing as they can't exactly explain it. They used Ariel with phone calls; and they fed her what to say. Regina offered to help out while still in the hospital; and he told her that hell would have to freeze over three times before that happens.

Snow and Henry came after school; and after some whispered arguments, they went home to get some proper rest, now that she is awake, with promises that they will be here first thing in the morning. Emma had swung by as well; and Regina wasted no time in grilling her about what Ariel said on the roof. Much to her disappointment; Emma didn't give her much, only that she just vented the tension of the past three weeks.

It was after 7 PM and Ariel was still fast asleep. Whale had come in and checked on both mother and daughter; with Regina glaring at him the entire time for not telling her about Ariel.

She was still absent mindedly running her fingers in Ariel's hair; the other thumb gently caressing her arm over the catheter, when Ariel's movements pulled her back to earth. She looked down at her in time to see her eyes flutter open.

"Hey" Regina greeted softly, smiling down at Ariel.

"Hey; what time is it?" Ariel mumbled groggily.

"7:30. How are you feeling?" she inquired.

"Great actually." Ariel made no move to get out of her mother's hold, and Regina was only too happy to keep her there.

"What about you?" Ariel asked; pulling herself up, without breaking out of her mother's hold.

"Perfect." Regina answered, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Then why do you have that look in your eyes?" Ariel asked; confusion evident in her voice.

"What look?"

"The same one you had after you saw the day I found out I was yours; a guilty look."

Regina averted her gaze; and looked down at the finger that's caressing the catheter. Ariel followed her gaze down, before looking back up in understanding. Regina could feel the tears rising to her eyes once more; so she didn't lift her gaze to meet her daughter's.

Ariel pulled herself up some more; effectively breaking out of her mother's hold.

"Don't do this to yourself; it's not your fault." She whispered gently; lifting her mother's face.

Looking into her daughter's eyes; and seeing nothing but love and compassion was the last straw for Regina. She couldn't keep the tears back any longer, and they cascaded down her cheeks, "I just don't know what good could I have possibly done in my life to deserve you? Any of you, all of you! I was the Evil Queen for God's sake; I did some terrible things, ruined lives even. How…."Regina's rant is stopped by Ariel.

"Hey; don't say that! Stop thinking that you don't deserve this; because you do. Yes you did some pretty bad things; but you've been trying to redeem yourself. And besides; you sort of had the punishment before the crime, so maybe it's time that you get the reward for a change. We all make mistakes; some pretty horrible ones too, ones that result in destruction. We all ended up on the edge at some point; only difference is, someone pulled us back, but no one did with you. Even if somebody tried; you had been hurt too bad to trust it and you did the only thing that you thought would help you survive. You attacked before they hurt you; you shunned them before they get a chance to hurt you deeply. Mom, nothing is making us stay; we're here because we want to. We all love you; and we know that you love us."

"Of course I do; I just….I swore before that I won't become Cora and then I did. Time and time again; when it really mattered, I was no different than her. I tormented Snow; nearly killed Henry, not to mention making him feel like he was crazy and unloved. And you; you had to kill your own grandmother because I couldn't protect you guys." Regina cried.

"Stop; don't!" Ariel exclaimed firmly, "You're NOT Cora; nor are you anything like her. I think Snow already covered her part and I can't speak for her or Henry, but I_ can_ say this. If you had been like Cora; you would have left Henry to die from the sleeping curse to preserve your curse, or just hand him over to Emma. You did neither, mom. You helped Emma wake him up, knowing that it can break the curse as well. And yes; you many have gone about it the wrong way, but you _did _fight to keep him. You could've easily killed David, or just let King George do it; that way Snow would have known _exactly_ what you went through. But instead; you bent over backwards to make sure he survives. You could've cast the curse before Snow gets a chance to get pregnant; but you didn't. You could've killed Emma the second you came into this world; and again you didn't. Cora killed Dad in front of you; ripped me away and tried to kill me repeatedly." She continued.

"But…." Regina protested.

"No, no buts. I don't care that I had to kill her, mom. My earliest memory of her; is her attempt to rip my heart out; not to mention what she did to Dad. I hold nothing but hate and contempt towards her; and the more I looked through your life with her, the more they grew. I didn't kill her before because of you; not me. I wasn't sure how you would react, and I procrastinated doing it till I absolutely _have _to. I just didn't know that it would come at this price; but I will do it again if I have to. Preferably before she kidnaps you though."

"And as a reward you had to live on IV and fluids for a week because I was too selfish to wake up" Regina exclaimed.

Ariel's brows shot up in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

"I didn't want to have to face your death; so I held onto the darkness and refused to wake up. If I had; I would've known that you were okay." Regina answered her; her thumb caressing the catheter again.

"Your mother kidnapped you; and tortured you for two weeks. She made you believe that I died in your arms; and I'm pretty sure she took pleasure in you thinking that your love wasn't enough to save me. Holding on to the darkness seems like an understandable reaction to me. The IV isn't because of your coma; it's because of the amount of magic I've used in a short amount of time. And it is a small price to pay in my eyes; if it means you're safe. I would do it all over again if I had to; and I don't care if it will cost me my heart in the process."

Regina's hand immediately darted towards Ariel's chest; and she laid her palm flat against her heart. Ariel's hand was on hers in a second, pressing it harder against her beating heart.

"It's still safe inside my chest, mom. She didn't rip it out; she never could. Actually; no one can." Ariel told her.

Regina looked at her quizzically.

"Take it out." Ariel told her softly.

Regina's eyes widened in horror at her daughter's request, "E…e….excuse me!" she stuttered.

"Put your hand inside my chest and take my heart out." Ariel said slowly.

Regina's eyes kept shifting between her daughter's trying to spot any fear or trepidation in them; and found none. Only love and reassurance.

Ariel sensed her mother's hesitation and she knew that it wasn't easy for her to do it; "it's okay. I think it's safe to assume that you won't crush it." Ariel assured her; and smiled when Regina chuckled.

Regina took a deep breath, before she pushed her hand inside Ariel's chest, and wrapped her fingers around her beating heart. She looked at Ariel again to see if she wants to back down.

Ariel smiled warmly at her; "Go ahead." She nodded.

Regina carefully pulled her hand out; only for it to thud against Ariel's chest wall. Regina's eyes filled with confusion and she gave it another try; only to have the same result. She looked back up at Ariel and found her smiling reassuringly at her.

"I'm the product of true love, mom. My heart can't be ripped out; it's part of the package." She explained.

Regina let go of the beating heart, and swiftly pulled her hand out. She rested her palm against her chest again; taking comfort from the strong, steady heartbeat.

"Stop comparing yourself to her, Mom. It tears all of us apart when you do; we've all met her and we know what _real_ evil is like, and trust me you're not it. Hell; even Belle thinks so. And seeing as how you've locker her up for quite some time; I'm guessing her word should count for something."

Regina smiled gratefully at her daughter; and pulled her into her arms. Ariel was only too happy to oblige and she nuzzled her mother's neck.

"I love you mom; we all do." Ariel mumbled against her neck.

Regina breathed in her smell, kissed her on the head, "I love you too baby; more than anything." She whispered gently.

"And on a happier note; I am very very glad that you are back and awake, because I _hate_ your job" Ariel grumbled dramatically, and Regina burst out laughing.

Ariel pulled back from the embrace, revealing her cheeky grin, "I'm serious; one more phone call and there _will_ be blood!" she declared in fake seriousness.

Regina's laugh grew louder at her daughter's words and grin, and she wiped the tears away.

"That bad huh?" Regina teased, and Ariel groaned exasperatedly in response.

The rest of the night was spent in tales of Ariel doubling as her mother on the phone with officials from the real world; with Emma and David feeding her what to say. Their laughter could be heard a mile away from the hospital. Whale had come in during night rounds to check on them; and hooked Ariel's IV. Regina's face paled again at the reminder of her daughter's state, and her wince.

Henry had called and they spent about an hour talking with all of them on the speaker phone; and once again their laughter was a threat to the dead.

* * *

It had been four days since Regina finally woke up; and they all passed peacefully and uneventfully. Ariel stayed with Regina and never left her side; while the others spent the mornings and afternoon there. The only reason she agreed to let Ariel stay with her is because of Whale's need to monitor her; and the fact that she was still not ready to let her out of her sight. She still had nightmares about the fake death; and her only reassurance was Ariel's sleeping form. David and Emma still ran the town temporarily; but both were waiting anxiously for her return.

The moon shone over the small town of Storybrooke; filtering through the shades and casting its rays unto the sleeping residents. Emma was taking the night shift at the station; and was peacefully asleep in the cell. A sharp ringer shot through the station, and woke her up. She groaned as she pushed the covers off and got up.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming" she groaned at the persistent ringing of the phone.

She checked her caller ID, before pressing the answering button, "Ruby this better be good" she grumbled into the phone.

She listened to what she was saying in silence; before groaning again, "Fine; I'm on my way."

* * *

Emma pulled up at the pathway leading up to the well; and saw Ruby standing with two men, both with their backs turned towards her.

"What is it Rubes?" she exclaimed; getting out of the car and walking towards them.

Both men turned around at the sound of her voice; and she froze in her tracks, wide eyed and mouth agape from the shock. She blinked a few times to make sure that she's not hallucinating and kept shifting her eyes between the two men.

One was in his late 50s, early 60s and the other late 20s, early 30s. She lifted one finger and started moving it between both of them; "I…you…they…wha…ho…" her stuttering rant was cut short by Ruby's voice.

"Yup; that's what I thought. How do you wanna handle this?" she asked.

Emma's eyes snapped towards her; but she was still speechless. Her mind was still in shock; and a part of her kept thinking that this was just a dream.

"Excuse me, Miss. This young lady told us that you might be able to help us." The older man spoke gently.

His voice obliterated any doubt in her mind of their existence.

"Uh, yes. Just give me a moment, please." She spoke distractedly, and the older man nodded.

She walked over to Ruby and pulled her aside; where they had a silent conversation.

A few moments later; she sighed heavily and started walking towards them, pulling her phone out of her pocket as she did so.

"Who are you calling?" Ruby asked; and both men furrowed their eyebrows at the weird contraption in Emma's hand, and Ruby's use of the word 'calling'.

"Who do you think?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"Emma you have to be sure first." Ruby warned.

"That's what I'm doing right now" she explained.

She pulled the phone from her ear after a few attempts at dialing a number, "mom and are not answering their phones and they're not picking up at the house either." She groaned; before dialing another number. "Hey Becca; can you put me through to Regina's room please?" she said into the phone.

"You know Regina?" both men asked at once.

"Yeah; we all do." Ruby told them gently.

"What do you mean discharged?" Emma yelled into the phone, "when the hell did that happen?" she continued.

"Alright; thank you. Sorry I woke you up." She apologized gently into the phone; before hanging up.

"Everything okay?" Ruby asked concerned.

"Regina got discharged late last night." She mumbled, "Which explains why they're not picking up at the house; Dad must've unplugged it" she continued, before pressing the phone to her ear once more.

"Snow and Ariel actually let that happen?!"Ruby asked in surprise.

Emma chuckled; "According to her, it was the re-run for Clash of The Titans, but Regina won!" she replied, and Ruby giggled.

"Hey; sorry to wake you up, but it's kind of an emergency." She said in an apologetic tone, "No, no, don't worry; it's nothing serious. I just need you to check something out for me" she continued; her tone hopeful.

"Thank you; do you know the pathway in the woods leading to the well?" she asked, "can you meet me there?" she waited for the reply, "thank you very much." She added, before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Ruby asked.

"The Blue Fairy; she will be able to tell which magic is at play here." She explained; pressing the phone to her ear yet again.

"And who are you calling now!" Ruby exclaimed.

"My parents; I'm not telling Regina anything until I'm sure."

* * *

20 minutes later; Snow and David pulled over in David's truck and jumped out. Emma and Ruby were facing the men; who had their backs to Snow and David.

"Emma; are you…." Snow started asking her daughter, before she halted in her tracks and was stunned into silence.

The older man's face broke into a smile of recognition, "Snow" he said softly.

David was gaping at both of them; eyes shifting between both.

"Henry!" Snow exclaimed softly, before launching herself into his arms.

Her body was shaking with laughter and sobs, as she hugged him.

"So I was right!" Ruby exclaimed.

Snow pulled out of the hug, but kept her hands on Henry's shoulders, "It's good to see you Snow." He said softly.

"It's good to see you too; but how?!"

"That's what we're trying to figure out" Emma informed her.

"Wait; Snow? As in King Leopold's daughter Snow?!" the younger man exclaimed.

Snow giggled softly; "Yes, Daniel it's me. God, it's good to see you." She told him.

Before anyone was able to say anything; the sound of an approaching car attracted their attention. They all looked towards the sound, in time to see a car pull up and the Blue Fairy exiting it.

David looks quizzically at her; and opens his mouth to ask her why she's here, when Emma's voice interrupts him.

"Thank you for coming and sorry for the inconvenience." Emma apologizes.

"No need for that, Emma. What is the situation that requires my help?" Blue asks softly.

"They are!" Emma exclaims; gesturing with her hand towards Henry and Daniel.

Blue doesn't understand; and Snow cuts in to explain.

"This is Henry, Regina's father; and this is Daniel," her introduction is cut short by Blue's loud gasp.

"Exactly!" Ruby exclaims.

"How?" she asks.

"We were hoping you would be able to tell us." Emma tells her.

"I won't be able to tell 'how'. Only if it was dark magic or not." She explains.

"We'll take what we can" David speaks for the first time since his arrival.

Blue closes her eyes and concentrates for a few moments; and Henry and Daniel are watching the situation unfolding around them with high levels of confusion.

Blue opens her eyes after a few moments; and her face breaks into a huge smile, "this wasn't dark magic." She informs them happily.

"You're sure?" Ruby presses.

"Yes. There's not a drop of dark magic here; this is pure magic."

Snow lets out a relieved sigh, "Thank God; Mom's been through enough!" she exclaims.

Henry lets out a surprised gasp; and Snow immediately realizes her slip.

"MOM?!" he asks.

Snow smiles sheepishly at him; "Yes, Mom, and yes I mean Regina. I will explain it all, but at home." She says gently.

"Can someone explain this first….what is happening?" David cuts in.

"Well, I was running around the woods in my wolf form, when I heard weird sounds coming from the direction of the well. I moved towards it and got there in time to see golden rings disappearing and leaving them behind." Ruby explains, "I called Emma and got her here, and she called Blue and you guys." She finishes.

"You must be Prince James" Henry says respectfully.

"Well, yes and no. I am the Prince from back in our land, but I am not one here. In fact; Regina is the one in charge around here." David replies and Henry's eyes widen in shock and horror at the implication.

Ruby realizes where his train of thoughts is heading and she jumps in to assure him, "Per the people's request."

"What..." Henry starts to ask, but Snow interrupts him, "this is a very very long story, and I will explain it all but not here. We need to go home first."

Daniel is dead silent in all of this. Why is Henry horrified that Regina is in charge? Why is Snow calling her mom? And what is this place with the weird contraptions, vehicles and attires?

Snow's words gave him something to hold on to, till he can get his answers. He is snapped out of his head, by Emma's snort.

"Good luck with that." She teases.

"Where are you going?" her father inquires.

"To Gold; see if he can explain this." She declares, climbing into her car and driving off.

David turns to Blue and Ruby; "Not a word of this until we understand what is happening."

"Of course" they chorus.

* * *

**Okay; here's a long for your enjoyment and for those who has been begging me to bring Daniel back, I hope you are all happy. I know that some might see this as sappy; but I can't bring Daniel back without Henry, not the way I'm doing it, and this is part of the happy ending.**

**Let me know what you all think of this.**


	49. Dead Men Walking

**To rebakathy; indeed it does.**

**To The Rising Phoenix; I'm afraid he's not coming back; it has no place in the plot.**

**To EvilRegal95; yes she will. You are more than welcome dear.**

**To Barbara Montgomery; there will be no babies I'm afraid. And yes I brought them back; bringing Daniel back had been a request from most readers from the beginning and I threw in Henry for good measures; glad to see that you liked it. And I'm afraid the episodes are coming to a stop soon.**

**To reginamillz; yes StableQueen! Couldn't resist XD and yes it is happy endings from now on ;) and yes it is coming to an end.**

**To Allison; this is as soon as it gets, glad you liked it hun and thank you.**

**To carriemarrie78; yes they're back XD.**

**To Ann; next chapter came XD.**

**To EvilRegal; yes the level of craziness is high in this family, but so is the love. They are back and Regina will be over the moon XD and Ariel will meet her father at last.**

**To Metope; now THAT is something I can relate to XD happy to hear that my dear.**

**To miss mayer; I know it seems weird to some but this is a story that is supposed to have a happy ending, and it just seemed right. Welcome aboard and I hope you continue to enjoy the remainder of the story.**

* * *

The sun was casting its early morning rays unto the empty roads of Storybrooke; when Snow, David, Henry and Daniel tip toed into the house. David closed the door gently; and Daniel and Henry were immediately overwhelmed by the majesty of the house. It became abundantly clear that Regina _does_ in fact live here. The walls were littered with various pictures of her and the rest of the family.

Three pictures in black and white were on the walls in the entry way. One had Regina and Henry on a horse; neither was looking at the camera and both had huge smiles on their faces. Regina appeared to be instructing Henry, and couldn't keep the foolish, proud smile off her face. The second one was of Regina and Snow; Regina was leaning against a tree log, and Snow was leaning on her. They were both smiling at the camera, with Regina's arms wrapped around Snow's shoulder. The last one was of Regina and Ariel; of course neither Henry nor Daniel knew who she was, but she looked enough like Regina for them to guess. It was taken on Ariel's birthday; Regina and Ariel were dancing together, and they were in each other's arms, with their foreheads pressed together, when August snapped the picture. They both wore equally big grins on their faces; and if it wasn't for Ariel's longer hair, one could mistake it for Regina looking into the mirror.

Daniel and Henry kept looking at those three photos, before they followed David and Snow into the living room. Their eyes kept shifting between the pictures that lined the walls; some were at the stables, some at the beach, and some at a birthday party. Henry was still a bit shocked at the way Regina looked in them; she was happy and at peace. She looked like the daughter he thought he lost so long ago; the girl who fell in love with her stable boy.

Snow noticed the way he was looking at one of the pictures; and realized what was on his mind.

"Do you want to see her?" she asked softly.

"I thought you said she was sleeping; and that you need to explain a few things before she wakes up."

"I didn't say anything about waking her up" Snow said softly.

"That would be lovely." Daniel exclaimed before Henry got a chance to object.

"I'm gonna go make coffee; we're gonna need it." David exclaimed softly.

Snow nodded; and led both men up the stairs. They walked carefully to Regina's room and she opened the door slowly. A warm smile graced all three lips at the sight; Regina was sleeping on her back, with Ariel's head on her chest and her top clenched in her hands. Regina had her arm around her and her head resting on top of Ariel's. Henry had abandoned sleeping on the bed; and was halfway sleeping on top of Regina instead. She had her hand resting on his leg; and she didn't seem to mind the fact that he was sleeping on her stomach.

Both Henry and Daniel had tears in their eyes but for entirely different reasons. Henry was happy to see her finally happy and at peace. He never thought he would see her like that again. He had watched over the years as the pain consumed her; until there was nothing left of the girl he once knew. Even in her sleep; she never looked rested. Her dreams were always plagued with the life that she never had; and it only fueled the anger and pain. She always felt lonely; and unloved. Seeing her surrounded by such love; was a dream come true for him. Daniel's tears were one of longing. On the drive back home; he had remembered some of the things that happened when Whale brought him back. The most vivid image was the pain in every detail of her face; seeing her so peaceful eased his mind. He longed to hold her; but the thought that she was no longer his to hold saddened him deeply. The girl sleeping in her arms looks too much like her to NOT be her daughter; so she must've found someone.

Snow closed the door once more; and led the way back to the living room. David came out of the kitchen with a tray of coffee mugs and passed them around. Both men were amazed at how fast he managed to prepare it. They both took sips of it; and were even more amazed by how great it was.

"So the explanations?!" Henry inquired.

Snow let out a long sight, "Yes, I think we should start with what happened after Cora…um….killed you" she said to Daniel, "so that you would be up to date."

Daniel shifted uncomfortably at the unpleasant memory; but nodded nonetheless. He had a feeling that he _really_ wasn't going to like this.

* * *

Snow, David and Henry took turns telling him what happened. Snow and David skipped past the pregnancy and the alleged death; and when Henry was about to mention it, they both shot him warning glances. Daniel had started pacing the room; obviously upset and rattled up by what they told him, so he didn't see it.

He was running his hands through his hair; and pacing furiously behind the couch that he was sitting on.

"She became the Evil Queen?! Regina! MY Regina! And she…"he drifted off; at a loss for words.

Snow and David were starting to get nervous that Daniel will do or say something that will hurt Regina.

"Daniel; it was group effort. She didn't tell anyone what she was feeling; and none of us cared to ask. We all assumed that she was getting the life that she wanted. All the warning signs were there; but were ignored. My father and I weren't exactly innocent in all of this." Snow told him gently, and Henry's head snapped in her direction, wide eyed from the shock.

Snow abandoned her seat next to David and walked over to Daniel, "Look; she didn't turn overnight. It took years; and everything was going against her. My father never loved her as a wife; she was there for my sake and she knew it. He always compared me to my mother; completely ignoring her role in my upbringing. And you know how girls are raised in our land; we are naïve and innocent and don't know any better. I didn't realize any of this until I was on the run from her; and even then I refused to give her a way out, or even a chance. We all wanted her head on a platter; and the Evil Queen façade became one of protection rather than attack. And it took a piece of Cora's soul to accomplish that." She explained gently.

"I just can't believe this; it's like you are talking about someone I don't know." he exclaims.

"We are!" David stated, and all eyes turned to him.

"She wasn't herself anymore; she buried the girl that you knew deep inside her and refused to let her come back. She was lonely and suffocating; and no one seemed to notice! It was one blow after the other; and at some point the pain was just too great for her to handle." He explained.

Daniel was at a loss and didn't know what to think anymore.

"Look, I know that this is a lot to take in, but I was no better. I got my hands on a potion to turn the fiercest of enemies into worthless bugs so I can crush her; and another that completely blocked out my heart and the love I held for her and David. I nearly killed her; if it wasn't for David." Snow informed him.

Daniel sighed heavily, "I just…why did she hold onto the pain? Why didn't she move on?"

"She tried; she really did." Henry interrupted.

"She did" Snow confirms, "but like we said, it was one blow after the other, and it was eating away at her soul, until there was nothing left. And carrying a piece of Cora's soul inside of her didn't help; and hell broke loose when it took over." She continued.

"She cast a curse! And she took Henry's heart for it!" Daniel almost yelled.

"Shhhhh, keep it down." David warned.

Daniel looked surprised at David's protectiveness; but he was happy nonetheless.

"This curse was about more than just keeping me and David apart; it was her final shot at a second chance in life. When the curse started weakening; she could've given Henry to Emma and preserved the curse, but she didn't. She wanted to keep the curse intact; so she can keep Henry and not have to go back to being the Evil Queen. Daniel; the pain was excruciating; and her life with Cora was hell on earth. Your death was just the final straw." Snow explained gently.

"Henry?" he asks, confused.

"Yes; the little boy in her arms. Henry Daniel Mills; Emma gave birth to him but Regina adopted him. And no; she had no idea who his mother was. Which is exactly the point; even after she found out the truth; she didn't just hand him over to Emma to preserve the curse. He brought back the girl that you knew Daniel; but it took more time and effort, because he started rejecting her. She knew that the second the curse breaks, she will lose him and she was fighting like hell to prevent that. She didn't want to go back to the lonely life she led before."

"She had you and her daughter; why didn't she focus on that?" he asked dejectedly.

What neither of them understood; was that he wasn't mad at Regina. He was mad for her; he was mad that she had to go through all of that alone.

David and Snow's eyebrows hit their hairlines from the surprise.

"Her daughter?" Snow asked.

"Yeah; the girl asleep in her arms. She looks too much like her not to be hers; why didn't she hold onto her and just let go of the pain?" he asked again.

Snow and Henry were incredibly confused as to what he meant; but David realized where his train of thoughts had gone.

"You think she's Leopold's" he stated.

Snow looks expectantly at Daniel; and his face gives her the answer.

"She's my stepsister, not my half-sister." She states softly.

Daniel furrows his eyebrows in confusion at her statement; and is startled by Henry's gasp.

"No; that baby died" he exclaims.

"No; she didn't. She was perfectly healthy; Cora lied." Snow says softly.

"She cast a spell on the baby to make her seem dead; and then took her away." David adds.

Henry's face goes ashen and Daniel's confusion only deepens.

Snow smiles warmly at him; "Daniel; she's yours" she declares, and his jaw hits the floor.

He kept staring at her; expecting her to take it back, but she never did.

"She's mine?" he whispers.

"Yes."Snow replies softly.

"How?" his voice barely audible.

"Two weeks after Cora killed you; Regina told us that she was pregnant." Henry starts the story; and he, Snow and David take turns telling Daniel what happened.

* * *

His face was ghostly white by the time they were done; and Henry had a horrified expression on his face, when Snow and David explained what Cora tried to do and her true intentions.

"She…she tried to kill her? Because she was mine?" Daniel whispers; horrified.

David and Snow nod sympathetically at him.

"So you see; it wasn't just the loss of you, it was the loss of her child. Cora ripped her out and she never even gave Mom a chance to hold her. She lived her life believing that she was dead; the pain became too much for her to bear, so she just buried it deep inside. That's why it took more effort to bring back the girl who fell in love with you; because she didn't want to feel the pain again." David explained.

"I always knew that Cora was harsh and brutal; but not _this_!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Nobody did; not even Regina thought about it. She never suspected that Cora lied; and it never crossed my mind that Cora's torment throughout Regina's life was this bad. Some of the things that Ariel showed me was sick" Snow explains.

"Ariel?" Daniel asks.

Snow realizes that they never mentioned her name before; that they spent the entire story talking about her in the third person, "your daughter; her name is Ariel"

Daniel's face breaks into a smile; and his eyes glisten with unshed tears, "Ariel" he whispers lovingly.

"How did you find out about her?" Henry inquires.

Snow and David fill them in on the highlights of their lives during the curse; how it broke and what happened afterwards. Snow tells them of their time in the Enchanted Forrest, meeting Cora and finding out about Ariel.

"And Regina?" Daniel asks.

David and Snow trade a look; "Do you remember coming back to life?" David asks warily.

"Yeah; it was coming back to me on our way here. Needless to say; my mind is preoccupied at the moment to contemplate it any further." Daniel answers, clearing his throat to get rid of the lump that formed.

"How much do you remember?" David asks warily.

Daniel is silent for a few moments; gathering his thoughts; and David took the opportunity to fill Henry in on what happened with Whale.

"She never told me about this wizard!" Henry exclaims at the end of the story.

"Didn't think she would." Snow tells him.

David turns to Daniel; "So?" he presses.

"Well; I was confused. There was a man hovering over me; and I was in a lot of pain. I…" he trails off, horrified, "I attacked him; and I think I severed his arm." He finishes.

"Yes, you did, but he's fine. Rumpelstiltskin gave it back." David assures him.

Daniel nods solemnly; "and then I went to the stables to find Regina; and…." He trails his eyes widening in horror, "Oh my God; Henry! I choked him and I choked Regina!"

"Yes you did. But they're both fine; and she really didn't care much about the choking after what she did." David assured him.

"What she did?" Henry inquired.

"I was a monster; I was about to kill her so she let me go." Daniel explained.

"She killed you?" Henry asked; shocked.

"She can't kill something that was already dead; she did the right thing." Daniel was quick to defend her.

Snow and David smiled at his protectiveness.

"How did that lead to finding out about Ariel?" Henry asked once more.

David filled them in on what happened and Daniel was once more pacing the room. Henry had been sitting on the couch the entire time; not entirely sure how to react. His wife had been torturing their daughter right under his nose; he thought he knew all Cora had done, but it turns out it was just the tip of the ice-berg! Not that he would've been able to stop Cora if he had; but at least he could've been there for his daughter.

Snow noticed the look on Henry's face; "Hey; this is no one's fault but Cora's! Rumpelstiltskin himself couldn't stand up to her and he's the Dark One. Ariel is the product of true love which makes her powerful by definition; and she already had powers. Even if you had tried; Cora might have taken you away from Regina too and that was going to make her turn faster." Snow assured him, and he nodded slowly; still processing all that had been said.

"Daniel?" David called him gently.

Daniel halted in his pacing and looked at him.

"I know that this is a lot to take in; but just don't say anything that might hurt her. She's already beating herself up for what happened; and we don't want it to get worse." David's tone was soft; but the underlying warning wasn't lost on Daniel or Henry.

Daniel smiled at his protectiveness of the woman he loves; but at the same time it pained him that he thinks he's capable of hurting Regina. Henry was just overwhelmed by the turn of events. Daniel had stories to compare to; Henry lived them.

"Do you think I will hurt the feelings of the woman I love?" Daniel asks incredulously.

"Not intentionally, no. I was just making sure. Even at the height of her reign; she was no where near as bad as Cora"

"I'm gonna go get a refill for my coffee; does anybody want anything?" Snow asks.

"I think I need some water" Daniel replies.

"Of course."

Henry gets up and follows her; thinking that she will need help with getting the water. He follows her to the kitchen and is amazed when she opens a weird-looking cupboard and pulls out a bottle of water.

"How are you taking all of this?" she asks him softly.

"It's a lot to take in; especially after returning from the dead. But I'm just glad that she's not lonely and unhappy anymore; that she resolved things with you. She never admitted it; but she missed you terribly, she just didn't know how to turn back." he replies.

"Yeah; I know. I missed her too, but I didn't know how to get her back either." She whispers.

"It's still a bit weird to Henry when I call her 'mom' though." Snow jokes.

Henry chuckles; and they both head out of the kitchen, "well you're his grandmother and you're calling his mother that, so I guess it's understandable."

They both laugh as they leave the kitchen; and freeze in their tracks. Standing on the stairs; glued to the spot, is a wide eyed and ghostly white faced Regina. Her eyes keep shifting between Snow and her father. She is still expecting him to disappear; but he is still standing there with a warm smile on his lips.

She keeps her gaze fixated on Snow for a while; expecting to see a worried 'you're crazy' look on her face; but she only finds assurance.

Snow holds her hands up; "Don't freak out." she exclaims, as she approaches Regina.

"Snow?" Regina whispers, tears of hope and dread forming a knot in her throat.

Snow never thought that her name could be so loaded; but she stands corrected.

"It's okay; you are neither hallucinating nor dreaming. Henry really is here; and you won't have to send him back to the land of the dead." She assures her on-the-verge-of-fainting mother.

Tears rise to Regina's eyes and her lips tremble.

"Daddy?!" it's more a question than a statement; and Henry makes his way up to her.

"Yes, sweetheart" he assures her; and a sob escapes her lips before she collapses into his open arms.

* * *

David and Daniel had heard the commotion and moved towards the door. David pushed Daniel out of Regina's sight before she can see him.

"One shock at a time." he explains to Daniel's questioning glare.

Regina sobs hard into Henry's chest, wrapping her arms tight around him. He holds her and rocks them gently from side to side; as he makes shushing sounds into her hair.

"I'm so sorry" she sobs.

"Shhhhh; don't say that." He murmurs into her hair.

"I killed you" she mumbles against his chest.

"Hey look at me." He adds, taking her face into his hands so she can look him in the eye.

"It's a parent's job to sacrifice all they can for the sake of their children; and you have three of your own so you know what I'm talking about. I would have given you the heart willingly if it guaranteed a shot at happiness for you and it did." his voice is soft and reassuring; just the way she remembers it.

"But..." she interrupts shakily.

"No, no objections. You've been suffering for so long, sweetheart, you deserve to be happy. And things worked out in the end; we all make mistakes. Don't dwell on the past and live your life. And besides; from what Snow and David told us, you've been redeeming yourself." Henry assures her; not realizing his slip.

Regina's brows furrow in confusion, "us?!"

"Us!" Came a voice that she knew all too well. She looked over her father's shoulders and her breathing hitched in her throat.

"Daniel?!"

Henry stepped to the side so Daniel can take his place. Snow was now standing next to David, arms around his waist and his around her shoulders.

Daniel's eyes never left hers as he made his way up the stairs; he stopped one step before her so that they would be eye to eye. Regina's chest was heaving; and her grip on the rail of the stairway turned her knuckles white. She had no idea what to say; there were so many things rushing through her mind, that she didn't know where to start. 'I miss you', 'sorry for killing you', 'I've done some terrible things'! Luckily for her; he decided to talk and give her a way out of her own head.

"You did what you had to do; I was dangerous and I was going to hurt you. I was in pain and you stopped it." He said softly; before taking her face into his and crashing his lips against hers.

A soft sob escaped her lips at the touch; before she returned the kiss. Snow, Henry and David were all looking at the scene unfold with tears in their eyes. They let go after a few seconds; and just gazed into each other's eyes. Regina couldn't help the foolish smile that threatened to split her face in half, especially when it was mirrored by Daniel.

She had been dreaming of this moment for almost 50 years; and she was still afraid that it was just that, a dream. But how can it be a dream when she can feel his heart beating? She was never able to feel it before; it was always hollow, a cruel reminder that this was nothing more than just a dream.

"You're really here" she wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question, she just had to say it out loud.

"Yes, I am." He assured her. His voice was soft and full of love, just the way she remembered it.

"Both of you" she gazed at her father, and he smiled at her.

"Yes, both of us." Her father assured her.

"How?" she whispered.

"We're still trying to figure out that part" David chuckled.

Regina's confusion only deepened, "come again!"

"Well; how about we move this party to the living room?" Snow suggested.

"I smell coffee" Regina declared.

"Yeah; I made some when we got back." David tells her.

"Got back from where?" she asks.

"Looks like the party will be moved to the kitchen, not the living room." Snow declared, steering the small group towards the kitchen.

* * *

They all stood around the small island; Regina and Snow moved about the kitchen getting coffee and various snacks and David filled Regina in.

"So you have no idea how they're back?" Regina checks.

"Nop, not a clue; but Blue said that it wasn't dark magic; that it was pure, so we know it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin." David replies.

"Then how?" she asks again, her confusion getting worse, as well as the dread that she might lose them all over again.

"Well, that's what Emma is talking to him about." Snow answers her.

"What!" Regina shrieks, "you sent her to Gold?! Are you out of your mind?" she adds.

Snow looks like an errand child under her mother's scrutinizing glare, "Well, Blue only said it wasn't dark magic. And besides, you know that he probably knows how it happened." She defends herself.

"Yeah, except he doesn't just give information, he's gonna want something in return. And she already owes him." Regina retaliates.

Snow opens her mouth to reply, when David's laugh interrupts her.

David and Henry were watching the interaction in amusement; especially David, who just couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation and Daniel was proud that Regina was taking care of her family. David tried to hold in the rising laughter; but he didn't succeed for long and he burst out laughing hard.

Regina and Snow look at him quizzically; and it seems that their confusion fueled his laugh and it became hysterical.

"What's so funny?" Snow asks him bewildered.

"I'm sorry; I just can't believe that this conversation is actually happening." He says through his laughter.

"We're gonna need more words than that." Regina demands.

"It's just that you are the one who is having a panic attack about Emma seeing Rumple" he says, pointing at Regina, "and you are the one who sent her." he finishes, pointing at Snow.

Regina and Snow chuckled at the implication.

"Well, as I was saying before; he can't afford to alienate Emma; he needs her to find his son. And besides; hurting one of us will result in a very pissed off Ariel, which he also can't afford." Snow stated.

Regina glares at Snow for mentioning Ariel's name.

"We know about her sweetheart." Henry assures her.

"She's beautiful" Daniel says softly, and Regina cant help the pride. His tone held so much love for their daughter, that she nearly burst into tears herself.

"Yes she is, but as I was saying, you should've sent Ruby with her." Regina scolds.

"Well, he can't hurt her. Being the product of true love does have its perks." David assures her, "didn't Ariel tell you about the whole 'can't rip the heart' thing?" he adds, noticing Regina's confused glance.

"She did; and I know that Emma is one too, which means it applies to her. But he's the Dark One; he can be quite resourceful." Regina retaliates.

"It's a good thing that Ariel inherited your fiery temper then." David teases, and she immediately glares at him.

"Ah; there you are." He declares triumphantly, and Regina giggles softly.

Henry is watching the interaction with a huge proud smile on his face; his daughter is finally out of the dark pit that consumed her years ago, and she has her entire family around her. The entire family, except for one.

"Where's Cora?" he asks suddenly, and Regina chokes on her coffee.

She looks quizzically at her father; and David is the one who answers her silent question, "We haven't gotten this far in the explanations."

"Do you wanna go shower till we finish it?" Snow asks softly.

"No; it's okay. I have some questions of my own on the matter." She replies, smiling reassuringly at a worried Snow.

They gesture for Henry and Daniel to sit and they all take their seats around the small island. David, Regina and Snow take deep breaths before they start their tale.

* * *

Henry and Daniel's faces were ashen by the time the others were through with the tale. Regina's eyes were screwed shut and she was squeezing all the blood out of Snow's hands. Henry's tears were flowing, and Daniel got up and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into his embrace, but kept her eyes close.

"I'm so sorry darling" Henry whispers, and Regina's eyes snap open.

"What on earth are you talking about?" she asks softly, "this is in no way your fault. This was on her and her alone; I never wanted you to stand up to her because that would have gotten you killed. She brought this onto herself; and no one is to blame." She finished firmly.

"How did you get her out?" Daniel directs his question at David.

"Well, that is actually a very long story. Like we said, it took two weeks for Ariel to master the powers and the second she was ready, we jumped through the portal and got Regina out of Cora's hold." He explained.

"But you had already believed that she killed Ariel" Daniel said to Regina, who only nodded.

"When was this?" David asks.

"When was what?" Regina's replies.

"The….death thing" he stutters.

"About 4 days before you guys came, why?"

"Well, Archie said to try and sort of replace the memory." David replies.

"Replace it how?" Snow inquires.

"Maybe if you saw what she was doing on the exact same day; it will sort of create an antidote for the memory." He explained.

"That's not a bad idea actually; but I want to see the highlights of the two weeks." Regina stated.

"Why?" Snow inquires.

Regina shrugs, "I don't know; peace of mind I guess."

They all walk to her study and she shuts the door behind them, before walking over to the mirror and making it ripple. She looked at David and he concentrated his thoughts, before touching the surface of the mirror.

* * *

**Well, here's a long chapter for you folks, it was supposed to longer than this but I split it into two; because I couldn't finish it in time. **

**Let me know what you all think please.**

**To Anara; this is as soon as it gets hun.**

**To Gizela; well my dear, long time no see ;P**

**YES the holier than thou trio need more flying indeed!**

**Well, I was no hero the day after when I could walk!**

**I guess I'll keep you company on the nail appointment.**

**It won't take forever; it'll be fun and yes they need your touch ;)**

**Well; they've had a rough life, paranoia and trauma is part of the package. ;P**

**I think I might need your yelling skills in dealing with some of my patients! ;)**

**Hmmm, I'm guessing she didn't leave a nice review in the comment card for that spa ;) ;P**

**Especially emotions all bottled up in the daughter of Regina Mills who happen to have more powers than Zeus!**

"Snow warned Whale on her way out that if he discharges her mother; she will rip him to pieces, slowly and painfully."  
AHAHAHHAHHHA! ROFL! Please tell me that was *just* for me! XD **you know it was ;)**

"It didn't work because it wasn't me, Mom. "  
Teehee I told you so! ;P ** yes you did ;P**

**Cora was on a waste of space and air!**

""No, thank you. Is it okay if I shower though?" "  
As if you're even able to get up dear! ;P On the other hand I bet you smell lovely.. after 2 weeks in 'SPA' and 1 in hospital bed..;P **Ariel has magic, remember? She fixed that problem ;P**

""And all of that only took two weeks?" Regina asks incredulously."  
Looks like you have a freaking talented daughter, dear! ;) **more like freaking determined ;)**

" Ariel would take Ruby's heart; so she would be able to channel her powers through her to sense for Cora;"  
Eeekk I thought it was to protect Ruby! **It was for both! To protect her and channel her powers.**

""She heard the bones snapping""  
PLEASE, NO DETAILS! ;P **no worries, Regina feels the same way ;P**

"they didn't want anyone in the real world to know that she had gone missing, seeing as they can't exactly explain it."  
Really? I think it was quite a show for everyone ;P** oh I can see the headlines already! Mayor of small town is abducted by her own mother, the Queen of Hearts! ;P**

**She has to feel guilty! That is what separates her from Cora! But luckily she is persuaded easily! And STOP YELLING AT MY BABY ;P **

**Ariel showed Emma and Snow the memories in the water while they were in the Enchanted Forrest; that's how Emma knew Henry and Daniel.**

**And I see the greedy eyes monster is back for MORE ;P**

**To secretballetdancer; I'll get to it I promise, I read the first chapter but that is it. What I have in mind is similar to the theory but not it. The episode was heart breaking! Poor Regina and Archie! **


	50. Memories

**Replies to the reviews are at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

_Ariel and Ruby are standing in the middle of the woods, with David sitting on a fallen tree log nearby. All three turn at the sounds of footsteps approaching them, and spot Rumpelstiltskin limping towards them._

"_Do you mind explaining to me why we're training in the middle of the woods when it's freezing cold?!" Ariel demands._

Daniel can't stop staring at her; the way she talks, stands and the sound of her voice. And he can't keep the tears at bay either; this was his daughter, his little girl. And she was all grown up and trying to save her mother. The pain was easily spotted in her beautiful brown eyes; and he found himself wanting nothing more than to just take her into his arms and take it all away.

"_Well, dearie, this is the magical hotspot in Storybrooke." He says simply._

"_Doesn't she have enough magic for the entire northern hemisphere?" Ruby asks._

_Ariel cocks her head to the side and purses her lips in amusement, "bitter much" she teases and Ruby sticks her tongue out at her._

"_Even so; she needs to walk before she runs. And besides, you'll be doing it in the cold there, so you might as well get used to it." He explains._

"_Not if I have a say in it." Ariel grumbles and flicks her wrist, and a ring of fire immediately surrounds them._

"_Central heating in the middle of the woods…impressive." Ruby exclaims and Ariel bows dramatically._

"_Shall we?" he gestures away from David._

_Both girls walk over and stand facing each other._

"_Ah, history repeats itself" Rumpelstiltskin exclaims, and Ariel immediately glares at him._

"_Do you want me to will __**your**__ heart out?!" she challenges._

"_My heart can't be ripped out dearie; I'm the Dark One." He retaliates._

"_Rumpelstiltskin; behave" comes Belle's voice from outside the ring._

"_Belle; what are you doing here?" he asks in surprise._

"_Well, I came to make sure that you behave and not rattle her up too much, and to offer my heart if it is needed." She replies, eyeing the fire-ring curiously._

"_Just walk through; it won't hurt you." Ariel instructs her._

_Belle hesitates for a second before she walks through, "that's quite interesting." She exclaims once she's inside._

"_My fire, my rules" Ariel explains, "and thank you for the offer but I need someone with magic." She continues._

"_Moral support it is then" Belle says, smiling kindly at her._

"_Thank you." Ariel smiles gratefully at her, as she walks over and sits next to David._

"_Now, why don't you tell me what happened last time?" Gold inquires. _

"_Well, Jefferson pissed me off and the next thing I know, his heart is in my hand." Ariel replies._

"_Well, the trigger is anger." Gold states._

"_You don't say" Ariel replies sarcastically, "I know what the trigger is, and I am sure I can rally up enough reasons to get pissed off at Cora, and she will be more than happy to provide more. But her heart isn't there, I need to will it from wherever the hell it is, and will mom's heart back." she explains._

"_Yes, dearie, but you need to master the control. Otherwise; every time you get angry, you will end up with a beating heart in your hand." _

"_So do I get mad at Ruby? Or mad in general?" she asks._

"_M__ad at her." he instructs._

"_Well that's easier said than done." Ariel groans._

"_Oh I know something that will rattle you up." Ruby exclaims triumphantly._

_Ariel looks quizzically at her, "Do tell"_

"_I was all for letting the Wraith suck Regina's soul" she declares._

_David's eyes widen at Ruby's words and he tries to get her attention to tell her to shut up!_

"_She would have had to be marked first!" Ariel stated._

"_She was" Ruby's voice is filled with confusion._

_Ariel whips her head around to look at David and he braces himself for the storm to come. Her mouth is slightly open from the shock, and her eyes are shifting wildly between his; begging him to tell her that Ruby was bluffing. It pained him deeply that he can't offer her such consolation._

"_**That's **__how Emma and Snow got sucked into the hat?! You were getting rid of the Wraith?!" she asks, and all David can do is nod._

"_How do you think they got there in the first place? And how it consumed Philip's soul?" Belle asks warily. It was safe to say that at the moment, Rumpelstiltskin wasn't her favorite person on the planet._

"_I thought it was Cora's doing; to get rid of Philip. And they said that it was just a failed attempt to see if they can go to the Enchanted Forrest." She whispers._

_Gold is watching her warily; noticing the small flicks of lightning on her fingers._

"_But how…"she turns around to face Gold, "you __**marked**__ her!" she barks, and he visibly flinches and swallows._

_Ruby immediately moves closer to Ariel and puts her hands on her shoulders._

"_Yes, dearie I did. And she very much deserved it for what she did to Belle." He hisses._

"_Oh really?! You're the one to talk! Need I remind you that you are harvesting the grains of your hard work?!" she yells._

_He opens his mouth to shoot another angry remark at her; when he suddenly gasps in pain, hand flying to his chest._

_David, Ruby and Belle are staring at a horrified Ariel in shock. Mouth slightly open, heaving chest, eyes wide from the shock as they stare at the beating heart in her hand. It's not the fact that she has a heart in her hand that shocked her; it was the fact that it was black._

_Gold stares at her in shock, and realizes that she didn't mean to cause pain, but when the heart appeared in her hand with the lightning flickering in them, he got zapped._

_Ariel takes an instinctive step backward –trying to get away from the heart- and David jumps to her side. He wraps his arm around her waist, his other hand taking a hold of the hand that's holding the heart. As soon as she's secured in his arms; her knees buckle beneath her and her entire weight falls on him._

Daniel can't help but feel a stab of jealousy that David was there to comfort his daughter; but he's happy that she had someone there for her when he couldn't.

"_Easy; just breathe." He soothes._

"_Ho…wha…"she stutters in horror._

"_Just stay calm and __**don't**__ squeeze." He instructs. _

"_CALM?!" she yells, "calm would have been somewhere __**before**__ I willed the heart of the Dark One out." she practically screams._

"_You're freaking out" he points out._

"_Gee, I wonder why!" she shoots back sarcastically, "I'm not supposed to be able to do that __**the old fashioned way**__ let alone __**will **__it out!" she yells, and right on cue the heart fades away and Gold's chest glows briefly. _

_David tightens his arms around her; when her knees give away completely. He turns her around, and she buries her face into his chest._

"_What am I?" she mumbles against his shirt._

"_Hey; don't say that. You're not an it" Ruby is quick to scold her lightly._

_She pulls back from David's arms, and they see the tears in her eyes, "I just willed the heart of the Dark One out of his chest!" she declares in frustration._

"_That doesn't make you evil, dearie." Gold interrupts them._

_They all look at him quizzically; and Ariel has a doubtful look in her eyes._

"_You just said that your heart was safe inside your chest because you're the Dark One; and I just willed it out! If that doesn't make me evil, I don't know what does." She objects._

"_Do you know __**why**__ it's safe inside my chest?" he asks her._

"_Because of your magic." She answers him._

"_Exactly, my __**dark**__ magic. You see, the reason why no one is able to rip it out is because most people who try are usually practicing dark magic as well; and I am the most powerful one when it comes to dark magic. But you my dear, are a product of true love." he says calmly._

"_What does that have to do with anything?" she asks incredulously._

"_Intent" he states simply._

"_Intent?" they chorus._

"_You see dearie, when someone plunges their hand inside another's chest and rip their heart out, their intent is pure hate and rage. And basically I'm the walking source for both feelings. But you are doing it out of love; your true love for your mother." He explains simply._

_Ariel just stares blankly at him; Belle and Ruby are smiling reassuringly at her and David looks thoughtful._

"_That's why Regina was able to pin you against the wall in your shop; and plunge her hand into your chest. That's why you couldn't even break out of her hold, or smoke away." he declares._

"_Exactly. Regina was worried about Snow and Henry; and her love for them is what was driving her, so she was able to do it, but not take it out. Seeing as you're more powerful, you were." Gold finishes._

_Ariel keeps staring at him; trying to find any signs of deception, but found none. _

"_So I won't turn and become her?!" she asks him in fear._

"_Those powers were always inside of you, if they were going to turn you, it would have happened when you were a baby, when you were vulnerable and easily molded." He replies._

_Ariel let out a long sigh of relief, her body immediately relaxing._

Regina's heart constricts; and the irony isn't lost on her. She remembers a time when she told Gold the same thing; and seeing the amount of fear in her daughter's eyes tugged at her heart.

"_Shall we continue?" Gold suggests and she nods._

The rippling returns before it fades into another memory.

_Ruby and Ariel are standing in the middle of the woods, yelling at each other. With David wisely standing to the side, not interfering._

"_Ariel; you know I'm right. If she gets a chance to do it, she will." Ruby yells._

"_Which is why I'm going to will it out __**before**__ you go; what's the point of plunging my hand into your chest now?" Ariel retaliates._

"_I will be in my wolf form; which means every single instinct inside of me will be screaming 'bloody murder', not to mention that being incredibly pissed off at her for what she did. I will be furious and if she did it, it might tip me over the edge and I might rip her to pieces." Ruby tries to reason with her furious friend._

"_You know how to control those instincts; and you had her pinned under you before and you didn't rip her apart." Ariel objects._

"_She didn't plunge her hand into my chest; she hadn't ripped out Regina's heart; she hadn't kidnaped her and took her to a different realm. She looked in the general direction of you guys and I nearly bit her head off; there's no telling what buttons she'll push now. You said it yourself; we have to explore every possible scenario and be prepared for it. I know it will be painful; which is why I need to know what it feels like. That way when she does it; I don't flinch back and lose control." Ruby presses more calmly than before._

"_Wolves have higher threshold for pain; you want me to do it while you're human" Ariel fights back._

"_Yes; just in case. Ariel we have no idea what we'll face there and we can't dump it all on you; all three of us have to be prepared for everything." Ruby pleads._

"_I know that you're torn between me and Regina; that you want to get to her as fast as possible without hurting me at the same time, and that's okay. But you are not hurting me, you won't rip it out, and I highly doubt that a mere plunging will put strain on my heart." She continues; in a more gentle tone. _

_Ariel sighs and Ruby knows that she won._

"_It's okay; I understand your hesitation, and that it brings back unpleasant memories, but you and I both know that it needs to be done." She presses._

"_Fine" Ariel finally relents._

_Ruby squares her shoulders, bracing herself for the plunge. Ariel fists her fingers and opens them a few times before thrusting it into Ruby's chest; who immediately inhales sharply and wraps her hand around Ariel's hand. Ariel tries to pull her hand out but Ruby holds it in, "I need to get used to the feeling" she whispers in pain._

Both Daniel and Henry flinch at the sight; knowing all too well what it feels like to have a hand in your chest, and Regina shifts uncomfortably.

_A few seconds later; she manages to breathe through the pain and stands straight once more. She lets go of Ariel's hand, who immediately pulls it out swiftly. Ruby rubs her chest a few times; and smiles at her friend._

"_That hurts like hell." She teases._

"_You don't say!" Ariel says, glaring._

_Ruby chuckles, "don't worry; no more while in human form. But you know we have to do it in wolf form." _

"_You better get the hang of it fast" Ariel warns._

_Ruby holds up her hand in surrender, and Ariel steps back to give her room to turn. Once she's a wolf, Ariel lies on the floor and signals for Ruby to pin her down._

"_Just pretend I'm Cora" she instructs her friend, once she's pinned. Ruby immediately growls, her eyes blaze with fury and she digs her paws in Ariel's arms and legs._

_Ariel winces, and tries to break out of Ruby's hold, "Well, good to know that she can't wiggle out, but I sort of need the hand, Rubes." _

_Ruby loosens her grip on one hand, and Ariel thrusts into her chest. To both their surprises; Ruby doesn't even flinch. Ariel pulls it out quickly, and Ruby backs away from her before turning back._

_David helps Ariel off the floor. _

"_Well; I barely even felt that." Ruby points out._

"_Good to know." Ariel states._

"_Ariel; do you get any sleep?" Ruby scolds._

"_She doesn't." David dead pans._

"_I'm fine." Ariel shrugs her off._

"_Not what I asked; you look exhausted." She says worriedly._

"_She is." David states once more, and this time it earns him a glare from Ariel._

"_Look; I know that it's hard. But even Snow drops every couple of days and dozes off for a few hours, same for Henry; and same for you till lately." _

"_I know; it's just becoming more difficult to go to sleep. It's been a week and I'm still here, and she's there with Cora, and God only knows what's happening." She declares in frustration._

"_I think Regina would rather you take your time and __**not **__get killed, than rush and end up dead in her arms." David assures her._

"_It's not Mom, it's Cora. It's just…" she trails off, uncertain of how to finish and Ruby recognizes the look in her eyes._

"_The nightmares are back, aren't they?"_

"_Yes and no. I'm having nightmares, just not the same ones." Ariel answers, a small smile on her lips._

"_What nightmares?" David asked, confused._

"_They're memories; my birth and Dad's death." Ariel answers simply, and David's face goes white._

_Ariel smiles warmly at him, "it's okay. I've been having them since I was 6; I know how to ride them through." She assures him._

"_But that's not what you're seeing" Ruby states._

"_No; instead of Dad, Cora is crushing mom's heart. And it's not happening 50 years ago, it's happening now." She explains hastily._

"_She won't crush it; she needs her alive." David assures her and she sighs, dropping her head into her hands._

"_Yeah, but she's not exactly a patient woman and it's been a week; she might lose her temper and do it." Ariel voices her fear._

"_She won't; she wants to bait you and use her against you." David presses._

"_But you don't agree?" she asks a silent Ruby._

"_Hmm, no I do." Ruby answers quickly._

_Ariel narrows her eyes at her, "I know that look Rubes, what's on your mind?" _

"_Well, if all she wanted was a trade, if this whole thing is about baiting you; then why go back to the Enchanted Forrest? She had you at the well, and she had Regina's heart! Why didn't she just do it there?" Ruby thinks out loud._

"_Because she's stronger there" David answers simply._

"_Except she's not!" Ariel objects and he furrows his eyes in confusion at her._

"_Rumpelstiltskin is the one who brought magic here, which means in essence, this is dark magic. That's why mom was able to pin you against the wall one day and totally powerless the next. Like he said, intent matters when it comes to magic." Ariel starts to explain._

"_Her anger was driving her at first; but then it was her love for Henry." David realizes._

"_Exactly; she only got it up and running through Cora's spell book" Ariel continues, "The magic here is basically dark, and the rest of us leach off of it. That's why it's unpredictable, because it's unbalanced." She finishes._

"_So why would Cora go back when she's stronger here?" Ruby questions._

"_Because she doesn't know." David guesses._

"_No; she must have felt it." Ariel answers, deep in thought._

"_Maybe it's the fact that she was outnumbered. She came here prepared to battle you; not all of us. We took her by surprise, especially when Henry managed to hold his own against her. She came prepared to find a broken Regina; one who lost her son, and would do anything to get him back. Instead she found, a very much stronger Regina with not just you and Henry around her, but all of us!" David points out._

"_Yeah, but she only had you, me and Snow at the well. Ruby was still on her way, and you didn't even have your sword on you. She had mom's heart, she could've traded then." Ariel disagrees, and Ruby's eyes widen in realization._

"_Oh my God." She whispers in horror._

_Ariel and David look quizzically at her, "what? Why do you have that look on your face?" Ariel asks._

"_What's Regina's biggest fear?" Ruby asks instead, and Ariel looks even more confused._

"_I beg your pardon!" _

"_Her biggest fear; or more like regret now" Ruby explains._

"_That she became Cora, especially when it mattered the most." Ariel answers her._

"_Exactly, that her own children feared her, present company excluded." Ruby continues._

"_And Cora has her heart" Ariel finally catches on to Ruby's train of thoughts._

"_Exactly, she can make Regina do as she damn well pleases." Ruby hisses._

_Ariel pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs heavily._

"_So her end goal is not your death, but controlling Regina?" David asks._

"_It's both, she does want me dead. But she won't be the one to kill me." Ariel replies softly._

_David's eyes widen in horrific realization, "she's gonna make Regina do it" he whispers._

"_Exactly" Ruby confirms._

"_Peachy!" Ariel exclaims sarcastically._

* * *

The rippling surface returns and Snow took the opportunity to interrupt, "If that was her plan all along, why would she make you believe that she killed Ariel?" she asks.

Regina freezes the rippling effect and turns her attention back to her family. She notices the tears glistening in Daniel's eyes and smiles at him reassuringly. Her father has a sad expression on his face, and she knows that it's hard for him to hear them speak of her mother like that. She may not have been a great mother or wife, but she knew that a part of him still loved her. She shakes her head and decides to focus on the conversation at hand first.

"She got impatient." David states simply.

"Impatient?" Daniel asks skeptically.

"Yeah; she was expecting Ariel to either fall through the portal after you guys –which nearly came true- or come barreling into the cave two hours later, not two weeks later." He explains.

"Yeah, but she could've still made me kill a fake Ariel, instead of doing it herself." Regina says thoughtfully.

"She can't, she doesn't know Ariel well enough." David objects.

"Well enough to what?" Henry speaks for the first time.

"To impersonate her well enough to fool Regina. It probably took her years with Lancelot so she can fool Mulan and Philip. If she had done it, you would have known it really wasn't Ariel. But a dying Ariel is easy to fake; she knows she's notoriously protective so apologizing for failing to save you is easy to guess." He explains.

"But what was she gonna do when Ariel does in fact come through?" Snow wonders.

"Two birds with one stone" Regina answers her, and all eyes look quizzically at her.

"I never would have believed that it _is _Ariel, I would've thought that it was one of Cora's tricks and attacked." She elaborates.

"Yes, but Ariel knows you well enough to persuade you" David retaliates.

"Even so, it would have taken time and it would've alerted Cora to her presence." Regina presses.

"She didn't count on you and Ruby coming with Ariel, she figured she'd be alone." Snow realizes.

"Alone?" Daniel asks in shock.

"Yeah, she knew Ariel was protective of her loved ones, and she didn't think she would agree to put any of us in harm's way. Once again, we caught her by surprise" she replies.

"Yeah, because she also has a brain that works properly. And besides, on what planet would any of us have let her go there alone?" David asks incredulously.

Snow and Regina giggle softly, "Well, she obviously hasn't met you!" Snow teases, smiling sweetly at him.

"Well, let's get back to matters at hand before Henry and Ariel wake up. If I'm right, the next memory should be the one I'm looking for." David steers the group back to the task at hand.

"What she was doing when…." Regina trails off, unable to finish the sentence. Even though she knows her daughter is alive and safe; that her mother didn't really kill her, she still can't bring herself to say it.

"Yeah, and I believe it will be quite entertaining too." David declares.

Regina waves her hand and unfreezes the rippling, which immediately fades into a memory.

_Ariel and David are in the middle of a heated sword fight, and by the looks of it, Ariel's kicking his ass. They are both panting and sweaty. Strands of Ariel's ponytail is stuck to her upper chest, just below the neck, the rest flowing with her violent movements as she blocks David's oncoming attacks._

Regina freezes the scene again, and to Daniel's pleasure; it's fixed on Ariel. Regina rounds on David, "Why on earth are you attacking my daughter with a sword?" she asks with a raised eyebrow and David chuckles.

"I really have missed you, and we were splitting her focus." He says calmly.

"Splitting her focus?" Daniel repeats.

"Yeah, by then she was able to will hearts in and out from all over town without knowing where the heart or the designated chest is. But not when she wasn't concentrating; she usually did it from a quiet place where she can concentrate. We started with small distractions; things that she was used to doing; during a conversation, while she's riding through the stables, taking care of the horses, teaching Henry how to ride, that kinda stuff. But she was supposed to be the bait for Cora, which meant that she was going to will your heart out while she's fighting her. So that's what the sword fight is for, splitting her focus with something that might resemble what it'll be like with Cora. It required a lot of energy and focus; and we couldn't let her engage in a magical fight with Gold." He explains.

"She knows how to ride?" Daniel asks; a hint of hope and pride in his voice.

David chuckles, "yes she does. She is very much your daughter when it comes to that part." He replies and Daniel's face breaks into a huge, proud smile.

"Whose heart were you using?" Henry asked.

"Gold's; when she was able to will it out, we figured he's our best shot. He has strong magic inside of him, and if she can pull it off with his heart, then you and Cora shouldn't be that hard. Not to mention that we knew for a fact that he can't die." David elaborates.

"Gold helped you?!"Regina asks in surprise.

"Unbelievable I know; but you're forgetting that he has a stake in it too. If Cora isn't stopped, he'll be next, which means Belle will be in danger. And besides; Ariel can will it out, with or without his permission, so he decided not to rattle her up." Snow answers her.

Regina turns back to the mirror and unfreezes the scene, and the sound of clinging metal echoes once more.

_It doesn't take long before David's sword flies out of his hand, and Ariel triumphantly puts the tip of the sword at his neck._

"_Any last words?" she teases and he chuckles._

_She lowers the sword and lets it fall to the floor. She walks over to a bag and pulls out a bottle of water when the ringing of the phone shoots through the room._

"_That's probably Gold telling you that I willed it back." she informs David, as she plumps down on the bench._

_David pulls out his phone, "Yeah"._

_He listens to the voice on the other end for a few seconds, before his face breaks into a proud smile._

"_Thank you" he exclaims, pulling the phone away and shoving it back into his pocket. He walks over to Ariel and sits next to her, "Good job; we're almost ready."_

"_Yeah, now I need to do it without knowing where Gold is." Ariel comments._

"_Not today, you need to get some rest and some food." David orders._

_Ariel opens her mouth to object and David immediately jumps in, "Nop, save it. I won't hear of it, you are no good if you are too exhausted. You need your energy and you know it."_

The rippling returns for a few seconds before it fades into another scene.

_Ariel and Hook are in the middle of a very heated hand to hand fight, and once again Ariel is the one kicking ass._

"_It appears that this a case where the student surpassed the mentor." Hook teases._

"_That or you're just rusty and old" she retaliates._

_They both stand facing each other, waiting for the other to attack. Hook finally relents and makes the first move and they move around the mat. A few minutes later, Hook finds himself pinned on his back._

_Ariel has a huge grin on her face, her eyes shining with triumph. His face breaks into a mirroring smile, knowing all too well what the glint in her eyes means, "you willed them back?" he asks._

"_Yep" she declares triumphantly and he can't stop the chuckle._

"_All three?" he presses._

"_All three." She confirms._

"Three?" Regina asks.

"Ruby, Archie and Gold." David elaborates, "to make sure she'll have enough energy to will more than one heart back and still be able to take on Cora." He adds.

"_So you're ready?" he asks._

"_More than ready, this ends today." She half growls through her panting._

"_Today? You can't be serious! You need to sleep first." Hook admonishes, as she helps him up._

"_Nop, I'm fine. I slept last night and I can doze off in Atlantica if I need to." She declares._

_Hook opens his mouth to argue when she cuts in, "Killian, you know that when my mind is set, there's no turning back. I'll go home and shower and then I'm going." _

"_Fine; but don't you dare die on me. You keep her hand out of your chest; I don't care that your heart can't be ripped out, you keep her off." He instructs._

"_Ay ay captain!" she mock salutes him._

The rippling returns and to everyone's surprise it fades into another scene; one that David knew all too well.

_Athena is sitting in the throne room, when a portal opens and Ruby comes through. Athena shoots a golden ray out of her hand immediately and Ruby takes a sharp intake of breath._

"_David, Snow White's husband is right behind me, so is Ariel." she says hastily._

_And right on cue, David is thrown into the water and Athena does the same with him._

"_Go get the King." She orders one of the swordfish guards floating by, and he rushes off._

_Ariel comes out of the portal in her mermaid form and crashes into Athena's open arms, immediately breaking down into gut wrenching sobs._

"Oh no, it's showing the rescue. Regina turn it off." David says.

"No." Regina and Henry answer at once, "We need this." She tells him, and he trades looks with Snow.

Snow and Daniel immediately move closer to Regina and Henry and David stands at the back of the group, hands on Snow's shoulder.

_Athena's arms wrap tight around Ariel and she rocks them both gently in an effort to calm her sobbing daughter._

"_Shhhhh, I know baby." She murmurs into her hair, between kisses. _

_Triton rushes into the room and immediately wraps his arms around both Ariel and Athena. Athena points with her finger upwards and Triton nods._

"_We're gonna go to the surface so we can talk." He informs David and Ruby._

_The small group move towards the top and two swordfishes accompany them. They appear at the top, with Ariel still in Athena's arms. Her sobs have subsided, but she's still sniffling quietly. Athena is running her fingers in her hair, while the other arm secures her to her chest._

_Triton placed his trident on the surface of the water, and golden water ringlets surrounded Ruby and David._

"_You can both relax, this will keep you afloat." He spoke gently._

_Ruby wasn't paying attention anymore; she was focusing on the sniffling Ariel in Athena's arms. She was amazed at how young Ariel seemed in her mother's arms; she was always responsible and mature that people forgot that she was only 21 after all. _

_Ariel finally lets go of her mother and turns towards her father's open arms. Triton holds her tight and rubs her back comfortingly, "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll get her, I promise." He soothes._

_Ariel pulls back from his arms, "you know where she is?" she asks._

"_Yeah, a seagull spotted the portal in Lake Nostos and informed us of their arrival. He followed them to the island." Triton replies._

"_What island?" David asks._

"_Where Lancelot set camp." Athena answers him softly._

"_Why go back there? It would be the first place we would look!" Ruby exclaims._

_Triton and Athena fall silent, and Ariel's eyes shift between her father's, "because she doesn't want mom's screams to attract the ogres." She whispered._

Daniel and Henry's hearts sink at her statement;it's true that Snow and David had hinted that Cora hurt Regina. But to the point where her screams could've attracted the ogres! Daniel tightened his arms around Regina, and Regina was squeezing her father's hand gently and smiling at him reassuringly.

_Ariel was silent for a few seconds trying to keep her head straight, before clearing her throat "Do you guys know anything else?" she asks._

"_Yeah; Regina is in the cave that Cora was kept in. The hole above ground isn't covered or closed and Cora stays in the main tent." Triton sums up._

_Ariel turns towards Ruby, "Alright, Rubes. You're up." _

"_After you." Ruby says softly._

_Ariel sighs and pulls her hand out of the water. Less than a second later; there's a glowing, beating heart in it._

"_I guess I can skip my trip to the cardiologist this year!" Ruby exclaims softly, earning a small chuckle from Ariel._

"_Uh, Ariel how did you do that?" A dumbfounded Athena asks._

"_I willed it out; new power." Ariel explains gently, offering her a small smile._

_Athena and Triton gape at her in shock, and she turns around to face Ruby._

"_You ready?" she asks._

"_More than ready." She replies._

"_Take her to shore and wait for her return." Triton instructs the swordfish._

_Ruby supports her weight on it, and it dashes through the waters. _

David's heart stops in his chest, and he's worried that the mirror will show what Cora did. He didn't know if he should be relieved or horrified when it stayed on Ariel. Ariel's reaction was going to break Regina's heart, but on the other hand he didn't want Regina to relive her torture.

"_She just got to shore, and she turned."_

_10 minutes later, her expression darkens and the calm rippling around them was turning into stronger waves._

"_She's there, and so is Cora." She states._

_Less than a minute later, her face contorts in pain, as she bends forward and gasps for air. David immediately takes the heart away from her and Athena gathers her in her arms. She wraps her arms around her mother's neck and starts crying into it. Her eyes are screwed shut and her breathing is ragged and shallow. Athena just holds her tight and runs her fingers in her hand, jumping slightly every time Ariel jerks in her arms._

"_David, will Ruby to return. I think this is more than enough." Triton instructs, before wrapping his arms around his wife and daughter._

To David and Snow's relief; the rippling returned and Regina brought her hand up and froze it.

"What happened? Why was she crying like that?" Daniel asks in worry.

Regina is still trying to get her daughter's cries out of her ears, so she didn't reply.

"You know Granny, right?" David asks.

"Yes."

"Well, Ruby is little Red. I think she was born before you…um…" David trails, uncertain how to finish the sentence.

"Yeah, she was." Daniel answers, though he had no idea what any of this has anything to do with his question.

"Well; they're werewolves. They turn with the moon." Snow explains gently and Daniel's eyes widen.

"That explains why I was never able to sneak up on Granny; but what does this have to do with the state Ariel was in?" he asks again.

"First off; when you have a heart in your hand, you are in total control of the person. You hear what they hear and see what they are seeing. When she was about 9, Ruby gashed Ariel when she was a wolf. Ariel doesn't turn into a wolf; but it linked her to Ruby. She can track her; and with the heart in her hand, she can also see and hear what is happening." Regina explains hastily.

"She saw what Cora was doing" Henry finishes and the blood drains from Daniel's face.

"I took the heart to get rid of the connection, but somehow she was still able to hear it." David adds.

"Oh my God." Daniel whispers in horror.

"That's why I wanted you to stop it; I don't want that image in your head." David tells Regina, who still had her eyes closed.

She opens her eyes and looks distractedly at him, before she moves around him and heads for the stairs. Snow and Daniel dart after her.

"Mom" Snow calls gently.

"I won't wake her up; I just need to see her." she states, still making her way up the stairs.

She opens the door to her room, and stands there watching Ariel and Henry, silent tears making their way down her cheeks.

Ariel was asleep on her side and Henry on his stomach. He was using one of her arms as the pillow and the other one went around his back. They were both peacefully asleep and adorably so.

Daniel wraps his arms around her waist from behind and rests his head against hers. They stand like that for a few minutes, before Snow leans over and closes the door.

They head back down stairs and to the study. Henry and David are deep in conversation and stop when they spot the others.

"Are you two alright?" Snow asks.

"Yes, everything is fine." Henry answers.

"Shall we?" Regina says, making her way towards the mirror when David steps in front of her.

"I think that's enough; if I'm not mistaken the next memory is me and Ruby getting you out, before Ariel takes on Cora." He points out.

"I know which is what I want to see." Regina declares.

"Why?" Snow asks softly.

"Because I'm still scared that she'll find her way back from the grave, I think if I see this, it will help. I need this, I know that she was my mother, but I need closure." Regina elaborates, "Daddy, I understand if you want me to wait for another time." she adds.

"No, I need to see it too."

She nods, before returning to the mirror and unfreezing the rippling effect.

_Triton, Athena and Ariel emerge from under the water; and Ariel immediately turns into a human. Athena is holding Ruby's heart and Ariel is pacing the sand._

"_Where are they?" she asks._

"_The island is a few feet away; I think you should go now." Athena replies._

_Ariel starts walking towards the woods, when her mother's voice interrupts her._

"_Ariel; wait. Cora is taking Regina somewhere." She exclaims._

_Triton immediately puts the trident in the water, and the ground beneath Ariel's feet shake._

"_What are you doing?" Ariel asks._

"_An earthquake beneath the island. Ruby and David moved in; Ruby has Cora pinned and David got Regina." Athena continues._

"_I think you should go now" Triton says and Ariel smokes out before he gets a chance to finish the sentence, reappearing on the island._

* * *

**The next chapter will be their reactions to the fighting scene. This is a very long chapter for you all and I hope you enjoy it. Some were wondering why it took Ariel two weeks to get to Regina so I figured I offer some flashbacks.**

**Let me know what you all think.**

**To Metope; your body and soul idea is safe no worries dear ;) can't wait for your feedback.**

**To carriemarrie78; I'm afraid you will have to wait a bit ;)**

**To secretballetdancer; yes me too. And I don't think there will be a wedding; I might do a one shot later, and yes you can.**

**To EvilRegal; I'm afraid that this is one request I have to deny. I really don't see Maleficent coming back :/ and I have never seen wicked so I have no idea what you're talking about xD. Glad you liked the chapter sweetie; and the show pissed us all off! They better fix it soon! ;)**

**To Aby31; both Henry and Ariel will split their time between their parents. Like Ariel told Athena; they'll be spending the weekends in the Enchanted Forrest; and she will probably go back for her parent's birthdays and such. Regina and Emma live in the same realm so it's easier for Henry.**

**To Jason; I was just about to ask where you disappeared off to. Hope you're better now and good to hear from you again. Don't worry the question will be answered soon and yes she is reunited with her family. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and looking forward to your feedback on this one.**

**To Gizela; yes at least not here ;) **

**You are special ;P**

**And yes I know the nail appointment is on me ;)**

**LOL! Welcome to madhouse indeed.**

**I'll see what I can do about sending them over.**

**Yes; I think we can't blame her for global warming ;P**

**You and your 'innocent' blinking ;P and yes I do ;)**

Eeeek! ;P Female version of original Argentine Tango? ;) **Yes ;P**

COFFEE? XD More like a bottle of whiskey! Hell, the whole ocean of it! LOL! **It's too early in the morning. ;P**

Ok, if you wanted to kill me with this bit then congrats, you've succeeded. *teary eyes* **mission accomplished *rubs hand devilishly* ;P**

Oh PLEASE! O.O Really Daniel? And that is why she was SO devastated when you begged her to let you go? O.O **how else would he explain the mini-her in her arms? ;P**

Ah well, I hope it's the Irish coffee! ;P **more like apple cider flavor ;P**

Houston we have a problem! **THIS! ROFLMAO!**

Daniel? *raises eyebrows* ;) **yep, he's named after both of them.**

Oooh hello lovelies, looks like you're gonna have a hell to explain! ;P **no kidding! ;P**

Do you REALLY need explanation how the children are made, love? XD **he died babe ;P you can't get pregnant from a dead guy ;)**

""It's still a bit weird to Henry when I call her 'mom' though." Snow jokes."  
Oh don't get me even started! ;P THAT was also *just* for me, wasn't it? ;P **couldn't resist! ;P**

I SO wanna see it on the show! Shame it will never happen:(((( **me too! Shame :'(**

Yeah, that's what I wanna know too ;P **not yet dearie ;P**

Speaking of the devil, where is she, still asleep? There is a little shock waiting for her down here!;P *taps foot impatiently* **yes peacefully and obliviously asleep ;P**

**And here's more than the usual MORE xP.**


	51. How Are They Alive?

Regina, Daniel, David, Henry and Snow are huddled around the mirror, watching the scene unfold. Ariel had just appeared on the island and Cora sensed her. David and Snow only knew that Ariel had killed her; they didn't know any details, and they didn't ask. Daniel was watching Cora warily; even though he knew this was in the past, he still didn't like the idea of having her this close to his daughter. He was surprised at how easily the fatherly instincts kicked in and how natural they felt. Regina was surprised at the lack of emotions she felt at seeing her mother again. All she felt was fear for her daughter's life. Henry wasn't surprised to see that Cora hadn't really changed; if anything, she got colder.

They watched the glaring and angry remarks war; and Daniel visibly flinched at the amount of anger jumping out of his daughter's eyes. The pain and hate were visible too; and he knew that if looks were fatal, Cora would have been dead. They all flinch reflexively when Cora sent the magical energy towards Ariel; and watch –mesmerized- the battle unfold.

"Why does she keep sending those golden spheres into the sea?" Daniel asks, not taking his eyes off the blazing battle.

"Cora had blocked Triton and Athena's healing powers, Ariel was counteracting it." David explains.

"But wouldn't one be enough?" Henry wonders, and David gulps.

"Well; Cora didn't just put one blocking spell. She put a bunch of them, on every single injury. Some of them caved under the combination of Triton and Athena's magic, but other didn't budge and we needed Ariel." he elaborates.

Regina and Daniel wince when Ariel is cut; and their eyes widen in horror when Cora holds her against a cottage. It's true that they both know that her heart is safe; but neither wanted to see Cora's hand inside her chest. Daniel in particular knew all too well how it felt, and he didn't want his daughter to experience it. Regina's tears flow against her will, when Ariel screams in pain after Cora digs her nails into the wound.

They watch the angry conversation taking place; and Daniel could feel his anger slowly approaching a dangerously high level. Said anger skyrockets when Cora moves her hand towards Ariel's chest; and they all gasp in shock when the shield appears and throws Cora away.

"How?" Snow whispers and Ariel answers her question.

They all can't help the gloating smirk on their faces at Cora's reaction. Especially when Ariel rubs it all in, and hits the nail on the head with Cora's issues with Regina.

Snow and David could feel the usual anger and resentment they have for Cora coming back with a vengeance; and Regina was preparing herself to watch her mother die. Daniel couldn't wait to spend time with the all mighty daughter of his, and Henry was glad that someone was able to stand up to Cora, especially for Regina's sake.

They all watch as Ariel squeezes the heart and crushes it; before Cora's body falls lifeless. And to David's relief, the mirror returns to normal.

* * *

Daniel's arms tighten around Regina and Snow is rubbing comforting circles on Henry's back.

"It's alright Snow. She left Ariel no choice." He assures Snow.

Regina is still in Daniel's arms, both hands covering her mouth. She wasn't crying for her mother; she was crying for her daughter. Her sweet, loving daughter, who had to kill her own grandmother; and believed that she was a monster for doing it. Daniel is rubbing her arms comfortingly and murmuring kisses and assuring words into her hair.

"Regina" David calls softly and she pries her eyes open to look at him.

"I know what you're thinking, and she doesn't care. You heard her; she would have done anything to keep you safe. And yes; she did think that she was as much of a monster as Cora, but you eased those fears and took them away. She's perfectly fine and happy. She got you back; and she's in for one hell of a surprise when she wakes up." He says softly and Regina lets out a tearful laugh.

"Oh boy; I haven't thought of her reaction" she realizes.

"MOM" Henry's voice cuts through the air, and Regina immediately moves out of Daniel's embrace. She walks over to the door and opens it; spotting Henry at the bottom of the stairs.

"We're in here, sweetheart." She says softly, and he shuffles over to her. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her stomach. She wraps her arms around him and bends down to kiss him on top of the head.

"Why are you up? It's still early." She says softly, rocking them from side to side, and Henry just shrugs.

Daniel and Henry Sr. are watching the interaction closely; and neither can keep the pride and happiness from showing.

"Ariel isn't as comfy as you are." He mumbles against her stomach.

She giggles softly, "Good to know."

She tries to smooth out his messed up hair; and he opens his eyes in time to spot Daniel staring at them in awe.

He lifts his head from her stomach and furrows his eyebrows at Daniel. His confusion deepens when he finds Henry Sr. in the room as well.

Regina is watching his reaction closely, and opens her mouth to explain when he turns back to her, a huge cheeky grin on his face, "they're back?" he asks excitedly, and she can't help the heartfelt laugh.

"Yes, sweetheart, they are." She replies.

"Whale figured it out." he exclaims.

"No; it wasn't him." Regina informs him.

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion once more, "then how?"

"That would be your sister." Emma's voice answers him. They all look towards the direction of the voice and find Emma making her way towards the door.

"We didn't hear you coming in." David exclaims.

"I used the back door." She answers.

"What did Gold say?" Regina asks.

"That Ariel and I need to go find his son." Emma answers in irritation.

"Excuse me!" Regina exclaims.

"Yeah; apparently it was out of the kindness of his heart that he let Ariel stay by your side." She grumbles, before her eyes widen in horror.

"They know" Snow eases her mind.

"How far are you guys in the explanations?" She asks.

"We got it all." David replies.

"Including…." She trails off.

"Yeah; we know that Cora is gone." Henry Sr. answers her.

"Great, that will save me a lot of explanations." She sighs in relief.

"So he did explain how it happened." Snow exclaims.

"Nop" Emma shakes her head.

"Then what have you been doing all this time? And how do you know that it's Ariel?" David asks.

"Well; he did admit that it was Ariel's doing, grudgingly so, might I add. But he didn't say much beyond 'she's the product of true love and she's insanely powerful'" Emma replies, "Whale is the one who provided the answer actually." She finishes.

"Why were you talking to Whale about this?" Snow scolded slightly.

"I didn't; he has no idea about this, it was something that he said." Emma answers.

"How did you run into him in the first place?" Regina asks.

"He called; you guys forgot Ariel's prescriptions so I went to get them."

"Prescriptions!" Regina and Henry repeat simultaneously.

"Yeah; some vitamins and anti-nausea medications." Emma explains.

"So how are we alive?" Daniel chimes in.

"First off; welcome back and sorry for gaping at you two at the border. And the 'how' is a very long story, and I need coffee first."

"It's quite alright; it's not every day that people come back from the dead." Daniel replies, and they all giggle.

"I think I drank the last of it though." Regina says apologetically.

"No coffee, no explanations." Emma declares dramatically and moves backwards towards the kitchen.

"Emma" Snow and Regina scold simultaneously, only for her to ignore them.

They all follow her to the kitchen and once again settle around the kitchen island.

"Mom; the explanations." Henry exclaims.

"First of all; that is the last time I am going to see that imp without Ariel." she declares.

"Why?" Daniel wonders.

"Because he has the irritating ability to make an angel scream 'bloody murder' and knowing that Ariel can kill him with a blink of her eye makes him behave." She explains.

"That bad, huh?" Snow soothes.

"He had no idea how she did it; it took him ages to admit that it really was her, and it was after an hour of arguing about his son."

"Yeah, I heard you the first time around; I just chose to ignore it." Snow mutters darkly.

"Oh it gets worse; he wants us to leave tomorrow!" Emma declares.

"What!" Snow and Regina shriek simultaneously.

"Don't worry; I told him that if he wants us to leave tomorrow to ask Ariel himself." Emma says smugly and both Regina and Snow giggle.

"Anyways; back on point. He didn't offer any insight beyond 'she's the product of true love' but something that Whale said made sense of the situation."

"What did he say?" Henry Sr. asks.

"That if you don't treat the disease; the symptoms will never go away." Emma replies and they all stare at her in bewilderment.

"Okay, bear with me. When Cora found out about your relationship with Daniel; she killed him." She exclaims and they all wince.

"Sorry; but there really is no lighter way to put it." She mumbles.

"But mom didn't kill grandpa when she found out that he was in love with Snow." Henry mumbles.

"Exactly; if you really wanted to give mom a taste of what happened to you, you would've killed him and got it over with. Instead; you tried to separate them, always keeping a window open." She agrees.

"What does that have to do with how Ariel brought them back?" Regina asks.

"Motive." Emma answers simply.

"Motive?!" Regina repeats with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes; Cora was driven by hate and resentment, while you were driven by anger and pain. That's why the curse started weakening, when mom and dad found their happiness once more and you started losing your happy ending." Emma elaborates.

"If love had been the antidote to what you did; then your own love for Henry should've weakened the curse long before I even got here." She adds, "Cora killed Daniel, thinking that this will effectively eradicate the problem. But as Gold oh-so-delightfully likes to remind us, every magic comes with a price; and that price was Ariel. She's not just the product of true love; she's the product of a forbidden one. Forbidden by Cora no less." She finishes.

"Making Ariel Cora's kryptonite!" Henry exclaims.

"Exactly; Ariel's mere existence irritated Cora to great lengths. She always said that love was weakness; and she's spent her entire life trying to prove it. Then again; Ariel's mere existence is a living proof of the opposite. Your love for her is what triggered her magic; her love for you is what had her using it from the womb; your love saved her from Cora's attempts and so on."

"And it was Cora's hate that caused their deaths" David cut in, "either directly" he pointed at Daniel, "or indirectly" he pointed at Henry Sr.

"But if it was her love; then how come she didn't do it before?" Snow wonders.

"Because Cora was still alive." Henry declares.

"Exactly; as long as Cora was alive, Ariel couldn't do it. Not because of Cora's existence, but rather what it entails." Emma agrees.

"You lost me again." Regina declares.

"Ariel stayed away from you because she was worried about Cora hurting you; she's notoriously overprotective of her loved ones. Her own fear for their safety is what hindered her powers from taking effect." Emma explains, "Add that to the fact that she wanted nothing more than to give you what you once lost; and it worked. Her innermost desires is what enabled this to happen." She adds.

"It's not guilt Regina; she just wants you to be happy. And she knew how much something like this will mean to you; but she thought it was impossible." David calmly refutes her silent thought, before she even gets a chance to think it.

"Cora killed Daniel and her soul caused you to kill Henry; the price for both was that Ariel would grow up to bring them back." Snow sums up.

"Exactly; this basically comes back to two things. True love and what it creates; and that magic comes with a price, that price is usually bad to the one who used it. Cora used magic without any repercussions for most of her life; and the price for it all was Ariel. She was the one thorn in everything she has ever worked to accomplish." Emma explains.

Regina, Daniel and Henry Sr. all have tears in their eyes; Daniel can't keep the goofy, proud smile off his face and Regina can't stop the gratitude from showing in every detail of her face.

"Yup, the whole 'I carried you for 9 months, endured your kicking and the torturous pain of labor' speech is a moot point with her." Emma jokes, and Regina bursts out laughing.

"She was actually a very quiet baby; she hardly ever kicked." Regina says between giggles.

"HA! Can't imagine Ariel being quiet at any point in life!" Emma teases.

Regina opens her mouth to retaliate, when the doorbell stops her.

"I'll get it." Comes Ariel's voice from the entrance hall.

All of their eyes widen in shock and they dash out of the kitchen, and freeze in their tracks at the sight of their uninvited guest.

"Is it true?" Whale hisses at Ariel.

"Is what true?" Ariel asks.

Whale looks over her shoulder and his eyes widen in shock, "So it's true" he whispers.

"Is what true?" she asks, bewildered and follows his line of sight.

* * *

**MUAHAHAHA! Ariel's reaction is next! How fast I update depends on how fast you guys review, so keep'em coming *Very Big Evil Grin***

**I'm not entirely happy with the chapter so take it easy on me; hope that answered all of your questions about how Ariel brought Henry Sr. and Daniel back.**

**To Evil Regal; thank you my dear, glad you enjoyed it.**

**To reginamillz; her powers aren't related to her mermaid nature, but the fact that she inherited magic through Regina and that she is the product of true love. The father/daughter moments will come soon, I'm working on the meeting.**

**To Metope; I'm working on it ;)**

**To Jason; half of your request is here, the other one is on the way.**

**To Dr Pepper Geek; not entirely sure if I made you happy or disappointed you.**

**To Gizela; more on the last review.**

"YES the holier than thou trio need more flying indeed!"  
I knew you would agree! XD **of course I would ;).**

"She has to feel guilty! That is what separates her from Cora! But luckily she is persuaded easily! And STOP YELLING AT MY BABY ;P"  
I haven't even started *blinks innocently* ***scowling* you aint getting anywhere near my baby missy! :P**

"Daniel and Henry kept looking at those three photos,"  
Shocked much? ;) **No they were admiring the technique used in photography ;P**

" Snow and David skipped past the pregnancy and the alleged death; and when Henry was about to mention it, they both shot him warning glances. "  
Eeekkk! XD **stay cool lady; all in good time ;)**

"Daniel sighed heavily, "I just…why did she hold onto the pain? Why didn't she move on?""  
As if it was that easy to accomplish!:/ **Oh she had all the help she needed ;P**

"What neither of them understood; was that he wasn't mad at Regina. He was mad for her; he was mad that she had to go through all of that alone."  
And what is that weird about it? ;P **making sure he won't rub it in like they all did at some point. ;P**

""She's mine?" he whispers.  
"Yes."Snow replies softly.  
"How?" his voice barely audible."  
Do you REALLY need explanation how the children are made, love? XD **pretty sure you don't mind a few details ;P**

Make a room! ;) **Ya sure about that;) ?**

Hahaha aren't we a little too overprotective about the old enemy?;) **She's just looking out for her granddaughter ;P**

Great idea! And if it doesn't work, there is always NLP! ;) **What the heck is NLP!**


	52. Daddy's Little Girl

Ariel's mind went numb at the sight, and her mouth fell open. She kept staring at her father for a few seconds, before her eyes wandered off to her grandfather, and finally rested on her mother. She wasn't entirely sure what she was asking of her mother; to tell her that this isn't real, that it is, to offer some sort of explanation, all of it, none of it, what! She moved her gaze between the rest of them, hoping that at least one of their expressions would explain the situation, only for it to become more confusing.

They all had a glint of pride in their eyes; and it was mixed with gratitude in her mother's. She was enormously baffled as to why they were all standing around like nothing is amiss! Her dead father and grandfather were standing in the middle of her foyer and they were acting like this kind of thing happens on a daily basis.

Daniel's world had stopped spinning when he saw her staring at him; he wasn't entirely sure how to react and what would be acceptable on her part. He had already seen her in the mirror; but this was different. She was really there; only a few feet away from where he stood at the moment.

"So you _can_ bring back the dead!" Whale exclaimed, effectively putting a halt to the silent conversation they all seemed to be having.

Ariel hadn't even realized that he had walked into the house and was now standing right next to her. His voice startled her out of her thoughts, and what he said erased any fogginess left from sleep.

"I beg your pardon!" she shrieks.

"You can bring back the dead; which means you're coming back with me." He almost hisses.

Ariel's mouth drops open; and her head spins. Her mother's angry voice echoes in the back of her head as she tells Whale that he's not taking her anywhere.

"Whale I don't know what you're talking about; I don't know how to bring back the dead." She finally finds her voice.

"Then what do you call this?" he growls, pointing at her father and grandfather.

Ariel looks at the two of them again and back at Whale, she opens her mouth a few times to say something, but closes it again.

"You're coming with me! I need to bring him back!" he orders, and it is the last straw for her. She raises her hand and he immediately freezes on the spot.

"That's better!" she exclaims, "now can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?" she almost yells.

"Can he hear us?" Emma asks.

"No." Ariel answers simply.

Regina starts walking towards an almost frantic Ariel; "Don't freak out" she repeats Snow's earlier words to her.

"Should I wait till Gold comes here demanding your heart for this?" she asks incredulously.

"Gold didn't do this." Regina says softly, taking Ariel's hands into hers.

"We only have two options here; and one of them is standing behind me claiming that I did this, so that leaves Gold." Ariel says frantically.

"He didn't do this; Whale is right."

"Not that I'm not flattered that you guys think I can actually bring back the dead; but I really can't. Don't you think I've tried already? Countless times." She retorts.

"If Gold had been the one to do it; he would have been here rubbing it in our faces and demanding his price, and we already know that Whale can't pull it off." Regina almost whispers.

"But..." Ariel tries to protest.

"No; it really was you. All the signs point to it; Blue said that there was no dark magic in play here, and Gold admitted that it was you." Regina explains.

"Mom, I tried before and it didn't work." Ariel exclaims, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know; but Cora was alive at the time and that is why it didn't work." Regina elaborates gently.

"Ariel; this is a very long story, and I promise I'll explain it in details. But can you please get rid of Whale first." Emma interrupts.

"Try to sum it up; cause he thinks I can bring back the dead and wants me to bring his brother back." Ariel orders.

"Basically; you're Cora's kryptonite. You are the one person who renders her powerless, so to speak." Henry cuts in.

"And her magic is what caused their deaths." David picks up where Henry stopped.

"And since you are basically an antidote for her…"Regina trails off

"I was able to reverse it and bring them back." Ariel realizes, and Regina smiles at her.

"But in my sleep!" she exclaims.

"Like I said; long story, just get rid of Frankenstein over there." Emma exclaims.

"Right" Ariel sighs, before waving her hand and Whale unfreezes.

He opens his mouth to speak, but Ariel raises her hand up and he wisely shuts up.

"I'll be doing all the talking to save us both the trouble; I don't know how to bring back the dead. I'm not even entirely sure how I managed to do it with them, but I do know one thing. It is connected to love and I don't love your brother." Ariel almost snarls.

"Well I do; and it should be enough." Whale shoots back.

"My love, my heart, my powers." Ariel clarifies, "and besides, this has to do more with how they died rather than me. I can't bring your brother back; but I can take you to your world. I already said I will take people back to wherever they wanna go, but I don't have the energy to open up any type of portals with any degree of precision. So unless you want to risk ending up in the dark depths of hell; I suggest you give me some time." she finishes.

"Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not lying to me?" Whale hisses.

Ariel raises and eyebrow at him and he visibly flinches under her glare; "I'm not the one who tricks people around here Whale!" she dead pans.

"Now if you will excuse us." She says, pointing to the door.

Whale stands for a few moments debating what to do, his eyes scanning the room around him. He took one look at their faces and realized that one wrong move on his part and they will eat him alive; especially Regina, who was standing behind Ariel, daring him to make a move.

He finally nods reluctantly, "Good day to you all." He says before taking his leave.

As soon as the door closes after them; Ariel turns back to her mother, who puts her hand up to keep her quiet.

"I know that it is quite a shock; but they really are here. You reversed Cora's magic and brought them back, and yes you did it in your sleep. Because that is when your inner most desires come to life and you let your guard down." She explains softly.

"And it didn't work before because Cora was blocking it?" Ariel asks.

"Um, no, not exactly." Regina says.

"Then what?" Ariel presses.

"Your fear for their safety; that Cora might do something to your father is what stopped it from taking effect. Cora's existence might have had an effect as well." Regina replies.

"So I'm not hallucinating?"

"No."

"Or dreaming?"

Regina shakes her head.

"They're really back?"

"Yeah." Regina whispers gently, "And I cannot even begin to tell you what this means to me."

"I think I know." Ariel tells her softly.

Regina pulls her into her arms, and Ariel is only happy to oblige, "Thank you baby." She whispers into her neck.

"Anytime, Mom." Ariel replies gently.

A few moments later they let go, and Ariel's eyes find her father's. She smiles warmly at him, "Well I was gonna ask if they knew who I was, but judging by the look on Dad's face, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say they do." She says softly, and chuckles at his sharp intake of breath.

"I know what I called you; and I meant it. You are my father, I just happen to have two." She explains softly.

Daniel only now realized that she had started walking towards him and that she was within arm's length. He was looking into her eyes, asking for her permission to hold her and the warm smile that graced her lips was assurance enough. In one swift motion; he had closed the distance and pulled her into his arms. He felt her arms go around him, and her face buried in his neck. He leaned his head against hers and rested on hand on her head, pulling her closer into his arms. He had his face buried in her neck and long wavy locks, and he still couldn't believe it. He could feel her tears on the back of his neck, and it made him tighten his arms around her.

They hold on to each other, as the rest look on. Regina's tears were cascading down her cheeks as she watched the scene- that she never thought was possible on so many levels- happen before her eyes. David reflexively put an arm around Emma, and she put hers around his waist. The other arm finding Henry, and pulling him close to her.

A few moments later, they finally let go. Daniel still has one arm around her, the other one brushing a few stray strands of hair off her face, "You're so beautiful." He gushes and she smiles shyly at him, "So I've heard" she whispers back and he chuckles, before pulling her for another hug.

"Daniel; you're hogging the girl." Henry Sr. pipes in from behind him, and they all chuckle.

Daniel releases Ariel and she walks over to Henry Sr., who immediately wraps her in a tight embrace. Daniel wraps his arms around Regina, and she pulls Henry into the hug. She wasn't sure if she was assuring him or herself that he was still her son, no matter what. To her pleasant surprise; Daniel kneeled down to his level.

"First of all; I would like to apologize for choking you, I was disoriented and really had no idea what I was doing." He says apologetically.

"I know; you don't need to apologize. And besides; you choked mom 5 minutes later, so I really don't get to talk." Henry replies simply, and they all burst out laughing.

"Oh we need to limit your time with Ruby!" Ariel exclaims from Henry Sr.'s arms.

"Second of all; I am not going to steal your mother away, I was hoping we can share." He says softly.

Henry's wide grin is contagious and Daniel finds himself mirroring it; "I know you won't, and I don't mind sharing. She missed you very much and she deserves to be happy, and I know you will make her happy. And besides; I've never really had a father before, so it might be nice" Henry mumbles, instantly realizing his slip.

Daniel's face breaks into a huge smile and he pulls Henry into his arms, "I would be honored." And with that Regina can't stop herself from full out sobbing happily. Daniel moves one arm behind him, and Ariel takes it, knowing it's meant for her, and he immediately pulls her into the hug. Ariel and Henry both reach out at the same time to pull Regina in as well.

Emma is sniffling silently into her father's chest, and Snow is smiling happily at the scene with teary eyes and tear-stained face. Henry Sr. was a very happy man at the moment; all of his wishes upon falling stars were coming true. His daughter was happy, and surrounded by so much love, it was almost palpable.

They all pull back from the hug a few minutes later, but Daniel doesn't release Ariel. She keeps her arms wrapped around him, head resting on his chest. Regina keeps Henry in her arms as well, and pulls Snow in.

A loud protest from someone's stomach interrupts the sweet moment, pulling them all back to earth.

"Oops!" Henry mumbles.

"I second that!" Emma declares, "I'm starving and I would actually kill for Regina's mixed cheese omelet."

"Ooooh, Emma's infamous appetite is back with a vengeance!" Ariel teases and Emma glares at her.

"You do know that it's just gonna be the two of us in Boston!" Emma playfully threatens.

Ariel giggles softly in Daniel's arm, and he thinks it's the most beautiful sound he has ever heard, "Well I have enough powers for the entire northern hemisphere" she retaliates.

"I think a big celebratory breakfast is in order." Regina cuts in.

"You're still exhausted Mom, Ariel and I will take care of it." Snow says softly.

"Can you just do the eggs? I mean as good as these two are; no one knows how to mix the cheese like you do." Emma chimes in.

"I'm not exhausted; I've been sleeping for almost two weeks and it's driving me nuts." Regina declares, "We'll go all out. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast, the whole shebang." She finishes, and a series of cheers erupt from David and Emma simultaneously, and she bows graciously for them.

"Well; those who are cooking, kitchen; and those who aren't; bathroom war!" Ariel declares.

"We need to borrow some clothes." Henry Sr. points out.

"Well, Daniel can take some of mine till the shops open on Monday; and Regina can twitch her nose and make you some." David teases playfully.

"Twitch her nose?" Ariel wonders.

"Bewitched; a TV show and a long story." he replies.

"Well, 3 bathrooms and 5 people! May the best man win!" Snow exclaims.

"Henry and I can help you girls till the rest finish, and then we can turn you over to them." David points out.

"Sounds like a plan" Emma declares.

With that; David, Henry Sr., Emma, Daniel and Regina head upstairs, while Snow, Henry and Ariel head towards the kitchen. David lends some of his clothes to Daniel and Regina explains how the bathroom works; she makes sure her father has everything he needs in Henry's bathroom, before going downstairs with David to start on breakfast.

* * *

**That's all for today folks; hope you all like it and let me know what you all think.**

**To Dr. Pepper Geek; I'm glad I made you happy and I'll see what I can do about those moments.**

**To Allison; LOL! Mission accomplished dear ;) and I'm glad to hear that.**

**To Jason; hope you liked it and yes Ariel was Cora's price for magic. Poetic justice so to speak.**

**To secretballetdancer; here's the next one and thank you.**

**To The Rising Phoenix; LOL! I loved the Whale go away part! Hope you liked this.**

**To EvilRegal; maybe because it's the a woman's thing ;) we are more creative. I have a great fan base to adore and thank you very much dear.**

**To Guest; you review, I update xD ;) and thank you.**

**To reginamillz; hope I lived up to your expectations.**

**To Metope; I knew you would ;) thank you dear.**

**To carriemarrie78; doesn't get any sooner than this.**

**To Gizela; I actually finished the book last week ;P and thank you my dear.**

"Yes; I think we can't blame her for global warming ;P"  
Well since you're mentioning it, how about we get her to fix it, hm? ;) **that sounds good to me! But you're gonna have to pry her away from Regina ;)**

Or too late in the night:P But who cares, it's one in a lifetime occasion! XD **oh it is just two people who came back from the dead, nothing special ;P**

You're a monster. But I still love you ! ;) **glad to hear that my dear…I love you too.**

Not THAT mini! HOW? Ermm accidents happen;P **accidents with dead guys? ;P **

Yeah, it crossed my mind but never had one;P **try red pepper flakes while you're at it ;P**

Now, do YOU need the explanation how the children are made, sugar? XD ...I bet he was pretty umm.. active BEFORE he died! XD **LOL!ROFL! you killed me with laughter hun!**

I know you too well! XD **you do ;)**

Someone please get her up, there is a party downstairs! ;P **all in good time ;P**

Not that little anymore! ;) **true, especially with the powers xD**

""Do you want me to will your heart out?!" she challenges."  
Yes, you (still) have my permission! ;P **she has all of our permissions ;P**

""My heart can't be ripped out dearie; I'm the Dark One." He retaliates."  
But it can experience a VERY painful squeeze, can't it? *smiles angelically* **I'll keep that in mind ;)**

Ah sassy senorita, aren't we? ;) **like mother, like daughter ;)**

Ohhh Rumple you're gonna be in SO much trouble! XD **he has no idea ;)**

Ooooh you poor thing. *grins joyfully* **enjoying ourselves I see? ;) ;P**

Huh? *opens eyes widely* And what happened with ' I'm the Dark One, my heart can't be ripped out of my chest"? o.O **oopsy ;P**

Oooh it's getting better and better!;P *jawdrop* **you know it will ;)**

ROFL! I bloody love you Ariel! XD **same sassiness at work ;) **

That's my girl! XD See? Told you, VERY talented!;) **or freaking powerful! ;)**

Now, THAT was a proper motivation! **I seem to remember a certain someone complaining that she called Snow her daughter ;P**

""So I won't turn and become her?!" she asks him in fear."  
Oh hello..:/ Umm let me quote, 'that dearie, is entirely up to you.' **I knew you would catch on! ;P**

Thank God you didn't get the necessary 'guidance' back then ;P **he's just the perfect mentor isn't he?! ;);P**

""No; instead of Dad, Cora is crushing mom's heart. And it's not happening 50 years ago, it's happening now." She explains hastily."  
SGFHSGFHJDKJK! **Her fear for Regina and knowing what Cora is capable of is making her subconscious run wild with scenarios.**

""Rumpelstiltskin is the one who brought magic here, which means in essence, this is dark magic. "  
Ummm DARK magic brought on with true love potion? *raises eyebrows* Doubtful..:S Magic is magic - a person decides how to use it. **The well brings back what was once lost! And Rumple's magic is dark…so dark magic, and yes true a person decides, which is why Regina's powers glitched when she was using it out of love.**

"Like he said, intent matters when it comes to magic."  
Ok, I can agree on this one ;P **good to know ;P**

she decided to put a little effort in breaking Regina.. more literally ;P **like Hook said, 'mom of the year' ;P**

Ahh there you go. Yeah, it hurts most to kill the one she loves.. The only thing that hurts even more would be if she had to choose between 2 people she loves.. which one of them to save and which one to kill/sacrifice. **That's why she refused to take Snow with her.**

Cos this way she would make Regina believe she starts seeing things/becomes insane so she'd kill Ariel's 'ghost' for the 'peace of mind'? **you might be onto something dear ;)**

Nice wife you had chosen, mister! o.O **no kidding!**

""She got impatient." David states simply."  
Eekk no - she actually 'killed' Ariel pretty soon, didn't she? **10 days in the life of Cora is a very very long time! she likes to do things fast and she doesn't like to wait.**

""Yes, but Ariel knows you well enough to persuade you" David retaliates."  
But she would be still controlled by Cora. **But Ariel can still stop her mother without hurting her and face Cora ;)**

Hahahah and we wonder why Ariel is so overprotective about her loved ones! It's called a 'training', love! XD **you know you love her when she's almost the EQ ;)**

WOAH! Hope she managed to put it back into the correct chest though! XD **of course; same talent at work here.**

"Ariel can will it out, with or without his permission, so he decided not to rattle her up." "  
Wise decision! XD **oh he's just witty ;P**

""It appears that this a case where the student surpassed the mentor." Hook teases.  
"That or you're just rusty and old" she retaliates."  
HAHAAHH aren't you sweet? XD **like mother, like daughter.**

" A few minutes later, Hook finds himself pinned on his back."  
Mmm I bet it's your fave position, sweetheart ;) ** I KNEW IT! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist ;P**

Oh Hook I don't envy you - dating the most powerful girl in the entire world! ;P Than again I bet it has its perks ;) **what on earth do you mean my dear? *flutters eyelashes innocently***

""She saw what Cora was doing" Henry finishes and the blood drains from Daniel's face."  
Rather. **Rather what?!**

**Where's MORE! Who are you and what have you done to Gizela ;P**

You possibly mean MY baby, don't you? ;) **nop I mean mine ;P**

Oh yeah, Cora and Rumple had taken an excellent care of her indeed ;P **indeed ;)**

Didn't expect him to for a fraction of a second. After all it's what unconditional love is about, isn't it? **true xD**

I'll make you a chart. ;P **cant wait ;P**

Actually nope, the can stay glued to each other all they want! ;) **that's what i thought. ;P**

Oshhhh lady, don't make me catch a flight to Cairo! XD Granddaughter my arse! XD **paging the British Airline to book the next flight here ;P**

"Great idea! And if it doesn't work, there is always NLP! ;)  
What the heck is NLP!"  
Neuro-linguistic Programming. **you totally lost me now!**

Shame they are not. *smiles sweetly* **life would have been a LOT easier! ;)**

"She got you back; and she's in for one hell of a surprise when she wakes up." He says softly and Regina lets out a tearful laugh.  
HELL, YES! XD **patience my dear ;P**

"Oh boy; I haven't thought of her reaction" she realizes."  
Hehe I bet it's gonna be interesting! XD **encore performance of Regina's reaction ;P**

"he shuffles over to her. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her stomach. She wraps her arms around him and bends down to kiss him on top of the head."  
Awww :3 **i'm desperate to see this on the show :(**

""Yeah; apparently it was out of the kindness of his heart that he let Ariel stay by your side." "  
Pardon me? o.O **hehehehehe, i knew this bit would get your attention ;P**

Ani-nausea ones? *raises eyebrows* **she's not pregnant, but she cant keep solid food down remember?**

Oh? And why not just right now? ;P **same kindness of his heart at play here ;P**

""Exactly; if you really wanted to give mom a taste of what happened to you, you would've killed him and got it over with. Instead; you tried to separate them, always keeping a window open." She agrees."  
If you say so..;P **the cricket game isnt a part of this so no execution and no shady deal with Rumple! ;)**

WOMAN! Start talking sense for goodness' sake! **this is perfect sense ;P**

So she didn't do this purposefully.. more like unintentionally, right? :S **she wanted to do it, but since she thought it was impossible she locked it in her subconscious as explained in the chapter.**

"Daniel can't keep the goofy, proud smile off his face and Regina can't stop the gratitude from showing in every detail of her face."  
No wonder, those two managed to make one hell of a miracle together! :3 **she's a sweet little angel isnt she ;)**

""HA! Can't imagine Ariel being quiet at any point in life!" Emma teases."  
Me either! XD **look like you and the savior are in cahoots now ;P. **

DAMN! Cliffhanger AGAIN? Ok, think it's time for me to start saving for the trip to Egypt. Be worried, be VERY worried MUAHAHAHAHHA! **uhoh! starting to think that my trip to the Arctic might be overdue *packing bags***

Nope. I wanna know how it happened TECHNICALLY. *sweet grin* There were no bodies and magic can't bring the dead back (unless we're talking about Pinocchio;P), soooo...? ;P **technically! for real?! Henry's body is still there and Regina let Daniel go, so no body yes but Ariel can reverse magic, so body is back. and she brought them back to life using pure magic, like the one in Pinocchio, true love in a bottle ;)**


	53. A Family Reunited

Daniel stood in the doorway of the bathroom taking in his surroundings. Regina had given him a quick tour before he went into the shower, but now he had the time to observe the room uninterrupted and unaccompanied. He was still finding things a bit too surreal to digest; _his _Regina became the Evil Queen and tormented people beyond imagination. He came back to life; and then he died again. Cora kidnapped Regina and tortured her for two weeks; before Ariel, David and Ruby got her out. Ariel; _her_ daughter, _his _daughter, _their_ daughter. He was finding evidence of her all over the room; and it was becoming clearer to him that she shared the room with Regina. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a gentle knock and the sound of the nob as it turned. He walked out of the closet in time to see Regina's head peeking around the door.

"Daniel?" Regina called softly.

"Hey." He said back, and couldn't help but mirror her face splitting smile. He closed the distance and put his arms around her.

"Hey yourself, someone's been taking advantage of indoor plumbing?" she teased, putting her arms around his waist and interlocking her fingers behind his back.

He chuckled, "yeah, it's quite amazing. Don't know how any of you actually manage to leave it." He replied.

"It's a struggle." Regina played and laughed along with him.

He bent down and kissed her; and she was only too happy to return the kiss.

After a few moments they both let go; "I missed you." Regina whispered.

"Oh really?! I couldn't tell!" He teased, and she giggled, "I mean you only had Ariel bring me back, in her sleep, might I add." He added, and laughed when she gave him a playful swat on the back.

"Am I gonna be smiling idiotically at the mention of her name every time?" he asked.

"For a while yes, it takes some getting used to." She replied.

"It isn't like you handed me a baby and told me that she's mine; she's a fully grown woman, a beautiful one at that too." He ranted.

"I know." She said softly.

"You know I never believed that there was such a thing as good magic; I thought magic meant dark magic, harmful. I mean; if it really existed, then how come no one tried to save you from Cora? How come the Blue Fairy didn't stand up to her if she really existed? And everything that Snow and David told me about what you did, just confirmed the theory. But then they told me about her; and it sent everything into a whirl. Not only was she mine; but she was also a powerful witch too. They started telling me what she did and how she was finally the one to stand up to Cora for your sake; the amount of good she did with her magic and all I could think of was that I wanted to run to your room, wake her up and suffocate her with hugs and kisses." He ranted.

"I spent nights imagining what your reaction would be like; when I tell you that I'm pregnant, when you hold her for the first time, and so on. And then in the blink of an eye she was gone! And I thought she was with you, but then I got her back. And I started imagining it again; especially when we went to the stables. I kept imaging how proud you would be seeing her like this; but I thought it was impossible. And even though I spent nights imagining what she would be like; the way she looks, talks and so on, I was still mesmerized by everything she did." she reminisced.

"We missed out on a lot, haven't we?" he asked softly.

Regina opened her mouth to answer when a knock on the door stopped her.

"Come in." she called.

"Is there a sucking void in here?" Ariel teased, earning a chuckle from both her parents.

"We were just talking things through." Regina informed her.

"What's there to talk about?!" Ariel asked sarcastically.

"Oh nothing; he only just came back to life to find out that I became the Evil Queen, cursed a bunch of people. And last but not least; that he has a 21 year old daughter." Regina summed up, putting one arm around Ariel and pulling her close to her chest.

"Don't believe a word she said about me" Ariel ordered in fake seriousness, and Regina giggled into Ariel's hair.

Daniel was watching the interaction; both mesmerized and proud. Regina was clinging to both him and Ariel; afraid that if she lets go at any minute, they'll both disappear.

"Emma is hogging all the cheese and won't let anyone but you touch them so that we don't mix the cheese ourselves; so you might wanna save her from Snow." Ariel stated, though she made no move to let go of her mother.

"Since your father is out of the shower; why don't you shower till I finish the omelet?" Regina suggested.

"Henry is already in his bathroom, same for David. So I'll just wait till after breakfast cause I'm in no mood to take a cold one!" Ariel grumbled; earning chuckles from both her parents, as Regina led them both out of the room and down the stairs.

* * *

They had just reached the first floor when the doorbell rang, making Daniel jump and Ariel and Regina to burst out laughing. Ariel moved out of her mother's embrace and opened the door.

Daniel's face lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw Granny walking in; "Granny" he exclaimed joyfully and closed the distance between them, almost knocking the old woman off her feet when he crashed into her open arms.

"God, it's so good to see you." She said through her tears, her arms wrapping tightly around him.

"You two know each other?" a confused Ariel asked, and they both chuckled as they let go of each other.

"Yes we do; I knew your father as a young boy and I knew he fell in love with the beautiful young lady whom he taught how to ride horses." She said softly, winking at Regina.

"She knew who you were all along!" Ruby –who was leaning on Ariel- mumbled sleepily.

Ariel's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "you did?"

"She knew from the moment you brought her the hood for Ruby." David said, as he and the others joined them from the kitchen.

"What? How? I didn't even know at the time!" Ariel wondered.

"Your eyes! I would recognize them anywhere! But Triton told me that you still had no idea so I kept my mouth shut. How do you think I knew that warning him about Cora would get him to keep you in the sea?" Granny explained.

"Because she was notorious and any one getting on her radar would have been bad!" Ariel said simply, "but how come you didn't say anything later on?" she added.

"I didn't know that you knew; you certainly didn't act like it so I assumed they still haven't told you." Granny replied.

"That explains why you always made sure I don't see Regina's face." Ruby realized.

"Yeah; didn't want you to put the pieces together." Granny stated.

"That's why you seemed so sure during our talk." Ariel said softly, and Granny nodded affectionately.

"What talk?" Regina wondered.

Ariel and Granny traded looks before Ariel sighed, "Granny heard me and Ruby talking about our birth mothers one night; and since I still thought I was sold at the time, I wasn't exactly kind in what I said." Ariel elaborated and Regina gulped.

"Sold?!" Snow, Daniel, Henry and Emma exclaimed simultaneously; while David and Henry Sr. looked confused.

"Even though Mom and Dad always told me that I was given up for my own good; I thought that it was their kind way of saying that I was the price of a deal with The Dark One because my mother didn't really want me, so needless to say I wasn't very fond of my birth mother at the time." Ariel explained, moving out of Ruby's embrace and walking over to her mother, who had her eyes closed throughout.

Even though Regina had already heard that story from Ariel before; and also heard the assurances, it still felt like a knife to the heart. She pried her eyes open when she felt an arm go around her waist, in time to see Ariel rest her head on her chest, in the crook of her neck.

"Granny sent Ruby to get something from the yard and had a talk with me about how much my mother loved me but that it was the best thing to let me live away from her, so that I wouldn't be hurt." Ariel finished from her place inside Regina's tightly wrapped arms.

"Triton had already told me the full story, but said you were far too young to understand." Granny added.

The entire room was stunned into silence.

"You thought she SOLD you!" Emma almost shrieked, and Ariel nodded.

"I actually spent nights comparing my mysterious mother who sold her child; with mom who lost hers!" Ariel elaborated.

"Is that why you didn't talk to your parents when they told you who your mother was?" Henry asked her, and she nodded.

Snow finally decided to change the subject, seeing as how Regina was clinging onto Ariel for assurance, "Rubes, why do you look like you're sleep walking?" she asked.

"That's because I am, I didn't get any sleep last night!" Ruby grumbled.

"Why not?" Daniel inquired softly; he still couldn't believe that this was little Red who used to bounce on his knees as a child.

"It's the full moon, which means….do they know?" Ruby trailed off.

"Yeah we told them" David stated.

"Oh, well it was wolf night. And by the way sorry for scaring the two of you; but it was a huge shock to me. And Granny was grilling me about how you guys came back to life." Ruby grumbled, as she walked over to him and hugged him.

Daniel giggled as he hugged her back, "Sorry about that." He said after letting go.

"You're the one who found them?" Ariel inquired.

"Yeah, didn't these guys fill you in?" Ruby asked, and Ariel shook her head.

"I found them by the well; and then called Grumpy over there and told her to come over" Ruby quipped and stuck her tongue out in response to Emma's glare, "and then she called Blue, Snow and David." Red continued.

"Why Blue?" Henry asked.

"To see if it was dark magic or not." David answered.

"Do you guys know how it happened? Ruby said all Blue said was that it was pure magic." Granny asked.

"Yeah; it was Zeusy over there!" Emma quipped, signaling with her head in Ariel's direction.

"Zeusy!" Ariel repeated.

"Yeah, you look like him when you play with lightning bolts." Emma replied.

"A little heads up would have been nice sweetie." Ruby grumbled.

"I needed one myself!" Ariel exclaimed, "I did it in my sleep." she elaborated to the confused looks she got from Granny and Ruby, giggling softly as their mouths fell open.

"In your sleep!" Granny sought confirmation.

"Like I said; Zeus!" Emma stated.

"How?!" Ruby wondered.

"Can we move this party to the living room?" Snow asked.

"Actually we need to move it to the kitchen, cause Grams has an omelet to make!" Emma joked, and Regina laughed as Henry let out a groan at what Emma called her.

"Mom" he whined.

"I know kid, but I just couldn't resist." She giggled at Ruby and Granny's amused, shocked faces.

"I smell pancakes, yours or Snow's?" Ruby asked Regina.

"Mine." Regina answered.

"Yes!" she exclaimed triumphantly, "it's so good to have you back." she winked at Regina, as they all headed for the kitchen; filling Ruby and Granny in on the details of the 'how' on the way there.

"Any grudges I should know about Flounder; I really don't want you going all Hades on me in your sleep!" Ruby quipped.

"Well; there's the Wraith thing" Ariel stated nonchalantly.

"I already said I was sorry for that" Ruby played along.

"And the _long_ list of names you called Mom after she put Snow under the sleeping curse." Ariel continued.

"I was kinda hoping you had me tuned out!" Ruby whined playfully.

"I did after the first 10!" Ariel quipped.

Daniel and Henry Sr. were both over the moon at the interaction; each watching his daughter. Daniel still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that not only was this sweet, cheerful, vibrant and loving girl his; that she holds more powers than anyone can dream of possessing; but that she was also the one who killed her own grandmother two weeks ago. That she was the only one who was able to stand up to Cora-who even The Dark One feared- and protected her mother, and even managed to bring them back, because she knew how much it would mean to her. Henry Sr. on the other hand was watching the daughter he thought he lost so long ago. He never thought that he would see the vibrant, loving, carefree daughter again, but there she was; laughing and talking with the people who crowded her kitchen. Said people all had nothing but love and warmth in their eyes as they looked at her, and not one held anger or animosity. He was happy to see her finally surrounded by the amount of love she deserves.

Emma, Ruby and David all whined when Regina flipped the eggs in the pan like a pro; and she gave them her infamous smirk and glare.

Everybody helped set the table as Regina finished the eggs, before she joined them. Since there were more people than chairs; they doubled up on the chairs around the table. Henry sat with Regina, Ruby with Ariel, and Emma with Snow. While Daniel, Henry Sr., Granny and David each occupied a chair with Daniel and Henry Sr. at each end of the table. Laughter coming from the Mayor's house could be heard from the town's harbor and beach.

* * *

**Okay so I know that I left you stranded for nearly two weeks, but work has been crazy and I sort of suffered from writer's block. Sorry for the long wait, and the faster you guys review the faster the new chapter will be up. Let me know what you all think.**

**To EvilRegal; well I agree with the list of names with the exception of Neal! I really don't like him! And I really don't want him with Lana either! Don't know why but I can't picture it, sorry hun. And I am thinking about a few ideas for fics at the moment, but most of them are one shots related to this story, whether I actually write them is up to you guys and what you want.**

**To Aby31; they will remain in Storybrooke and use the Enchanted Forrest as their getaway during holidays and such. Ariel and Henry's situations will be explained.**

**To carriemarrie78, here's the update.**

**To Metope, why thank you dear, glad you liked it.**

**To reginamillz, glad you think so.**

**To LilahMorgann; good to hear from you again and it's okay. I kinda thought you un-followed the story or something, can't wait for more reviews.**

**To The Rising Phoenix, it didn't go unnoticed by Emma, that's why she had tears in her eyes. And no I'm afraid she won't deal with it here, and the writer's already said that Peter Pan won't appear this season but that ****Bae will, so that means he's not Peter.**

**To Anarra, that's as soon as I could, sorry for the wait hun.**

**To evil regal forever; I'm afraid I don't know any numbers but thank you for the compliment nonetheless. And I like Evil Regina when it is necessary to protect her family, not the bitter Evil Queen. And I'm afraid there's no place for the fairies in this story, sorry. Glad you enjoyed the story and looking forward to more input from you. And I always loved Disney's Ariel because she had a strong mind and spirit, and I so wanted someone to stand up to Cora's arrogance, so I made Ariel powerful and the part about the hood was my way of explaining how Granny got it. **

**To impureevil; thanks, glad you enjoyed it.**

**To Gizela; well I aint telling Regina that we're taking her baby away again, so you do the honors :P.**

**Only every 3 days, I was thinking more along the lines of every day of the week and twice on Sunday. ;) ;P**

**Yes with a coffee ;P**

"But it can experience a VERY painful squeeze, can't it? *smiles angelically*  
I'll keep that in mind ;) "  
Always glad to help *VBEG* **I'm sure you are ;) **

In this case, I dare to say the daughter's outdone the mother ;P **Oh I'm sure Regina is proud xD**

**Powerfully talented works too ;) and I bet Daniel has a few names too ;) ;P**

"Now, THAT was a proper motivation!  
I seem to remember a certain someone complaining that she called Snow her daughter ;P"  
Certain someone seems to remember Henry was also involved;P Snow was NEVER considered 'a motivation' ;P **you're not letting me get away with this are you? *raises eyebrow***

You know me too well ;P **oh yes I do ;)**

We need to work on her subconscious mind and put it at ease ;) **sleeping in mommy's arms can help ;) ;P**

" like Hook said, 'mom of the year' ;P"  
Of the year? More like of the decade! Or the century! LOL! XD **they should turn her into a statue ;) someone page Midas! ;P**

Poor thing, it must have felt like a lifetime to her ;P **torturing her own daughter seemed like appropriate entertainment to her! ;P**

I love her in ANY version! XD **that makes two of us xD**

Oh after reading '50 Shades' you're most definitely innocent.. NOT! XD **I'm afraid I can't blame the book for that one ;)**

Oh. That would be the Aliens who popped in a few nights back. Did they Skype you as well by any chance? ;) **oh that make soooo much sense of many things ;P and yes they are quite entertaining ;) :P**  
"Neuro-linguistic Programming.  
you totally lost me now!"  
I guess Big Brother Google will know a word or two about it too ;) **oh a word or two won't be enough ;)**

And the earth - way less crowded *grins angelically* **ah yes *dreamy eyes***

I suppose she's not! ;P Totally forgot about it, sounds strangely familiar though;P ***who on earth do you mean? *smiles innocently* **

Surprised he didn't want them to leave the previous day! ;P **he probably did, but Ariel is THAT scary ;)**

Not exactly the description I was thinking about! ;) **that's what Daniel had in mind though ;) ;P**

"look like you and the savior are in cahoots now ;P."  
Keep dreaming sweetheart! ;) **I aint the one who's agreeing with her ;P**

ARCTIC? Damn. *shivers at the prospect and unpacks suitcase* ;) **knew it would work ;P**

"Nope. I wanna know how it happened TECHNICALLY. *sweet grin* There were no bodies and magic can't bring the dead back (unless we're talking about Pinocchio;P), soooo...? ;P  
technically! for real?! Henry's body is still there and Regina let Daniel go, so no body yes but Ariel can reverse magic, so body is back. and she brought them back to life using pure magic, like the one in Pinocchio, true love in a bottle ;)"  
Oh hun, you didn't possibly think I'd let you get away with it that easily, did you? ;) *smiles sweetly* Still no body in Henry's case, unless you count the bones as a body..;P **it's called magic DEARIE not science ;P she brought them back, end of story ;P ;)**

Looks like Whale will need to prescribe her, along with the other meds, some calm pills as well. Poor girl's gonna end up as a walking pharmacy lol! XD **more like someone needs to page Archie! They all need therapy ;)**

Would you rather them to lie down? ;) **dancing around would be nice ;)**

I know, they should run around like morons, informing everyone around that they're back :P **ooh osh lady! I would like to see you react to that ;P**

Guess who's just become the most popular girl in the town? ;) **it's hard being her! ;)**

Oh. Erm... Umm.. a miracle? ;P **whatever suits you my dear ;)**

""Basically; you're Cora's kryptonite."  
As if she knows what kryptonite is:P ...Ok, maybe they watched 'Superman' together ;) **knowing Henry you must know that he probably made her read every comic book he has ;)**

ROFL! But I bloody love YOU Ariel! XD **she loves you too ;)**

LOL! BTW I've just decided we really need Ariel on the show! As in THIS Ariel! Someone please call Adam and Eddie! XD **I would love to, they're on twitter ;)**

""Why should I trust you? How do I know you're not lying to me?" Whale hisses."  
Oh? Like you did to her mother? :/ : **he's paranoid xD**

"He took one look at their faces and realized that one wrong move on his part and they will eat him alive; especially Regina, who was standing behind Ariel, daring him to make a move."  
Ooooh please don't restrain yourself! XD *smiles angelically* **someone's been taking pages out of Ariel's sassy seniorita book ;) ;P**

""You're so beautiful." He gushes and she smiles shyly at him"  
Like mother, like daughter :3 **daddy isn't bad looking either ;) **

LMAO is it bad that it makes me so LOL? XD **nope! You are more than welcome dear and I LOLed too ;)**

""Second of all; I am not going to steal your mother away, I was hoping we can share." He says softly.  
Henry's wide grin is contagious and Daniel finds himself mirroring it; "I know you won't, and I don't mind sharing. She missed you very much and she deserves to be happy, and I know you will make her happy. And besides; I've never really had a father before, so it might be nice" "  
Hehe me likes ;) **thanks dear 3**

"Daniel moves one arm behind him, and Ariel takes it, knowing it's meant for her, and he immediately pulls her into the hug. Ariel and Henry both reach out at the same time to pull Regina in as well."  
I SO wanna see it on the show! :((((( **don't think it'll happen :'(((**

""You do know that it's just gonna be the two of us in Boston!" Emma playfully threatens."  
How do you know Gold's son is in Boston? ;P **they'll start the search there xD**

**Here's your MORE xD sorry for the delay ;) **


	54. A Dream Turned Reality

Breakfast was spent in laughter and tales; especially with Ariel and Ruby teasing Emma about her appetite. Regina was still afraid that this was all nothing but a dream, and that she will soon wake up and find herself alone once more. She had one arm wrapped tightly around Henry, and kept glancing at Daniel every few seconds, and every time she had to push the tears back down. Almost every time she looked at him, she found him watching Ariel's every move, with pride and love shinning in his eyes. Henry's body shaking with laughter in her arms, Snow and Ariel's laughs were all assuring her that this _is _real. But she was still scared that it might all end any minute.

After breakfast, she went upstairs to shower, and Snow and Ariel did the same. Granny checked in on Cinderella and Mulan at the Diner, and they told her that they asked Aurora and Belle for their help, so she can enjoy her day off.

Regina was standing in her closet, blow-drying her hair when the door to her room swung open and Daniel came in.

"What's taking so long?" he asks, and then freezes in the doorway of the closet eyeing the weird contraption cautiously.

Regina giggles at his wariness of the blow drier. Especially with the way he's watching it closely, as if he's waiting for it to attack him or her at any minute, "Says the man who took half an hour to shower!" she retaliates.

"Hey I was dead for almost 50 years! I had to get rid of the stench!" he shoots back cheekily, and she couldn't help the laughter.

"I kept you under a preservation spell; there was no stench. And besides I was just drying my hair." She says through her laughter.

"With that thing?!" he almost squeaks, and can't help the smile that tugs at his lips when her giggles turn into full blown laughter.

"Yes, it's called a blow-drier, its job is to dry my hair. I'll explain the details later." She answers through laughter.

"Are you alright? You seemed a bit distracted during breakfast." He asks, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yeah, I was just savoring it all I guess." She replies half-heartily, resting both her hands on his chest, taking comfort from the strong and steady heartbeat beneath her hand.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"Nothing's wrong, everything is quite perfect actually." She answers softly.

Daniel raises an eyebrow in disbelief, "we can do this dance all day if you want, I know you well enough to know when something is on your mind."

She sighs, and looks at him for a few moments. Seeing his resolve undeterred, she relents "I'm just a little scared that this is too good to be true."

"Well, it is true, and it is good. We are all here, and we have no intention of going anywhere." He assures her.

"I know, but I guess with my history of nothing good ever lasting long for me, I am scared that either this is a dream or that it will all be ripped away soon." She rants.

"It won't be ripped away; and how can a dream feel so real?" he argues.

"It's just that…." She trails off, and allows her head to drop against his chest, "When I thought that my mother killed Ariel, I refused to succumb to the overwhelming need to fall unconscious and not wake up. I knew that David probably knew Ariel was gone by now, and he was coming up with a plan, and that they might need my help. After all, the second they get my heart back from my mother, I will have my magic back and I would have given her exactly what she deserved. But then David showed up with Ruby, and werewolves are immuned magic, not to mention that Ruby and Ariel were close, so I knew that Ruby would rip her to pieces for what she did, so I finally surrendered to the darkness. But I wasn't asleep; I was sort of in a dream world. Ariel wasn't dead in that dream world, and it felt real to me. She was there, talking and laughing, just like she is now, but it was all an illusion; a way for my mind to deal with the pain of losing her. So how am I supposed to be sure that this isn't another way?!"

"Were you imagining things that didn't happen?" Daniel asks.

"No, I was more like reliving things that already happened. I did picture a different ending to the day she learned she was mine, but it was mostly memories and stories she told me." She answers.

"There you go; they were things that _already_ happened, and you knew they weren't real. You knew they were nothing more than just a figment of your imagination. Yes, they felt real, but you knew better. This is different. This never happened before, so you're not reliving it. It not only feels real, but it _is_ real. The fact that you doubt it proves it. And besides, if it was a figment of your imagination, then why did you look like you saw ghosts when you saw me and your father?!" he argues.

"Because I _was_ seeing ghosts!" she replies cheekily.

"Exactly! Were you surprised when you saw Ariel in your dream state, or whatever it was?!" he asks.

"Actually no." she replies.

"Because you created her, you put her there, so you weren't surprised by her existence. But the fact that you were surprised by us means that it's not your imagination. It's not anyone's imagination, it's reality. I mean, why on earth would you have that guy who came barging in wanting to take Ariel back with him to god knows where?" he asks, a hint of anger in his voice.

Regina giggles at his protectiveness, but her heart melts at it nonetheless, "Well, you do have a point. And calm down mister, she's a big girl and she's more powerful than me, Rumple and my mother _combined_ so she's the most popular girl when it comes to magic, especially that there aren't any tricks with her, so you can't get mad every time somebody isn't too nice about asking." She teases.

"You think I'll wait till they ask?! They so much as look at her in a way I don't like, and they're toast! If I understand correctly, both her and David are masters of the sword, so I think some lessons are in order." He deadpans Regina's giggling turns into full blown laughter.

"My poor baby! Between you and David, you're gonna chase her all the way back to Atlantica!" she giggles, and the implication finally dawns on Daniel and his heart sinks in his chest. She wasn't entirely his to hold onto! She had other parents who raised her, and who –he wasn't sure if it was fortunately or _unfortunately_ -love her to bits, and that he was going to share.

Regina notices the way his face fell all of a sudden, and she furrows her eyebrows in confusion and concern, "what's wrong?" she asks softly.

"She's not really ours, is she?!" he asks, and Regina's heart skips a beat.

"Of course she is, what are you talking about?!" she asks incredulously.

"We can't take her away from her parents!" he remarks.

"No one is taking her from anyone! Henry already said we're spending the weekends and vacations in the Enchanted Forrest, and we all liked the idea, so she'll be seeing them then. She'll go back for Athena and Triton's birthdays and whatever special occasions they have there, and we'll spend her birthday there so they can join us. We'll work out a system I promise! Neither one of us will lose her." she assures him.

* * *

Regina was sitting on the couch next to Daniel, who had an arm around her shoulders, and Henry snuggled up against her. He had been clinging to her a bit since Cora took her, and in all frankness, she didn't mind. She missed him terribly and it was like making up for all that time they lost before the curse broke. The latest news had caused her and Snow to get anxious, and Snow was throwing a bit of a temper tantrum, which the rest found amusing.

"At least he's asking for something reasonable, I was expecting him to exploit me for the rest of my life for owing him." Emma tries again to reason with her mother.

"What the hell were you thinking when you cut the deal with him?! What the hell was Ariel thinking?!" Snow shrieks.

"In my defense, I had no idea that he was the Dark One; and Ariel was trying to keep us safe. And besides, it's pointless now. And again, he's not asking for anything unreasonable." Emma replies.

"You have no idea how long this could take Emma! We barely got a moment of peace around here to enjoy each other's company, and he's sending you two off on a hunt!" Snow retaliates.

"Look, we were supposed to go as soon as Ariel dealt with Cora, but sleeping beauty over there bought us some extra time." Emma reasons, smiling cheekily at Regina's glare, " Granted; it wasn't spent on the beach, but still, the sooner we go, the sooner we return." she continues.

Snow opens her mouth to say something when Ariel walks into the room. As soon as she's within Snow's reach, Snow swats her on the leg.

"Ouch! What was that for?!" Ariel squeaks, only for Snow to keep hitting her.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Ariel orders, swatting Snow's hands away.

"You had to make that deal with Gold!" Snow scolds.

"That was two months ago! NOW you decide to yell at me for it!" Ariel says incredulously, before walking over and squeezing in next to Ruby.

"Well, the repercussions are only happening now!" Snow shoots back.

"Translation please!" Ariel exclaims.

"Well, I called my super to see if he can find us an apartment to stay in while we look for Gold's son, he owns a few buildings and I figured he can ask around with others. He said that my old apartment is available for a 6 week sublet starting next Saturday." Emma explains.

"Oh, that explains Snow's temper tantrum! But we won't need it!" Ariel says calmly.

"We can't live in a hotel for god knows how long till we find him!" Emma exclaims.

"I know that, but there is also no guarantee that he is in Boston! Even if the portal opened in the vicinity, there's no guarantee that he stayed in the same place. And what's even worse; there's no guarantee that he ended up in _this_ time!" Ariel says.

"I beg your pardon!" David exclaims.

"The thing about magical beans is that not only do they open portals into different worlds, they can also open them into different times! Bae could've ended up a 100 years in the past!" Ariel explains.

"That's just great! So for all we know we could find his great grandson or something! And if that happens, you're the one who's breaking the news to Gold!" Emma remarks.

"How can you narrow it down a bit?" Regina finally interferes.

"I was gonna ask Dad for help. With something of Bae's and Gold's blood, I think he can at least determine which time he ended up in, and where the portal opened. That way we have a starting point instead of a shot in the dark." Ariel states.

"But then Gold will say that we really didn't do anything to find his son, that it was all Triton, and that we are both still in his debt!" Emma objects.

"First of all; he doesn't have to know we asked Dad for help. Second of all; Dad won't give us an exact location, like I said he'll just give us a place to start, so we will still need to look for him and he could be in Australia for all we know!" Ariel starts, "and last but not least, I never said I'll look for him. My deal stated that I won't rest till he's in Storybrooke, I never specified who will actually be doing the looking!" Ariel says smugly.

"Cheeky!" Ruby exclaims.

"Thank you; he's not the only one who knows how to toy with words. And for the love of everything that is good and pure, I am begging you all to _not_ make any more deals with him!" Ariel groans dramatically.

"Says the girl who marched up to him, ignoring all of us and cut a deal with him!" David quips.

"Your _wife_ was about to end up with the worst case of amnesia to ever exist and Henry with misplaced guilt! One more deal with god knows who, and we may not have been so lucky the next time around!" Ariel declares.

"Speaking of Cora and deals with Rumple, how did she make it back to the Enchanted Forest?" Daniel wonders.

"It was probably some sort of a switch when I cast the curse; we came here and she went back." Regina replies.

"Wouldn't that mean that Bae is probably back too?!" Granny asks.

A whistle suddenly tears through the air, and they all look at Ariel.

"Why are you guys assuming that she ended up in this world?" she asks.

"That's what Rumple said." Regina replies.

"He said she'll end up in an annoying world, he never said anything about no magic." Ariel elaborates.

"Then where did she end up?" Regina asks.

Ariel is silent for a few seconds, before smiling sympathetically at her mother,"Wonderland."

* * *

**I am so very sorry for the almost two weeks wait, but work has been crazy! **

**Many of you asked for a private StableQueen moment, so here it is! Hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you all think.**

**To SinningBySilence, no you haven't reviewed before and I am glad that you did. Glad you enjoyed the story and yes they do have some lost time, but this story is more about family than romance, so I think I'll do a one shot after or something.**

**To reginamillz, it did, didn't it? I just hope that it wasn't too much or too cheesy. And yes a StableQueen family! Glad you liked it hun, and cant wait to hear what you think of this.**

**To Missy Mayer, I still have a few lose ends to tie up :)**

**To impureevil, I'm afraid this is as soon as it gets, hope you like it.**

**To EvilRegal, I couldn't be happier with the way this story was received and I am glad that you enjoy it that much. I am following a few stories who get updated once a month if we're lucky and I hate it, so I guess I'm glad you guys don't think that I take too long to update. I think I might do One-Shots but not sure yet, guess it'll depend on how the show goes. Cant wait for your input on this.**

**To lestralogranger, that reaction my dear is how many of us feel!**

**To reginaskillerhe, thank you my dear :)**

**To sweetangelmist, I am glad you liked it hun and decided to voice your admiration :) the fake Ariel's death chapter still tugs at my heart and I WROTE it :) so I guess I know how you feel. And the theme for this story is unexpected and killing Cora xD and I do hope they do it on the show :) You're gonna have to explain to me the whole Instagram/Ariel connection cause you lost me there :)**

**To Dakota Kent, welcome back hun and glad you enjoyed it.**

**To Gizela, **

ROFL! Well we need to wait for our turn anyway, the line is long!** ;P 'well i know a few tricks about cutting in line ;) :P '**

"Powerfully talented works too ;) and I bet Daniel has a few names too ;) ;P"  
Probably a few hundred lol! **poor guy...he dies and comes back to find he has a 21 year old daughter!**

"you're not letting me get away with this are you? *raises eyebrow*"  
Never! XD **'you're lucky i love you :P'**

No more sleeping in mommy's arms I'm afraid, that space isn't vacant anymore! ;P **'pretty sure her arms are big enough for both of them ;) :P'**

ROFLMAO! Let's go for platinum, the women more than deserves it.. NOT! ;) **i was thinking of something along the lines of trapping her within ;) *VBEG*'**

Ooooh what did corrupt your lovely mind then sweetheart? Do tell! *batters eyelashes* **'wouldn't you like to know? :P'**

Oh, there is also sister Yahoo, cousin Bing and other relatives, they may know *something* ;) **'try learning arabic...possibilities are endless with it ;)'**

I KNEW you'd catch on! XD **'of course i would ;)'**

Damn, I KNEW you'd bring it up! *considers briefly pointing that even magic can't bring back the dead and then decides against it* :P **'wise...wise woman ;P'**

Lifetime long one! ;P **'he's gonna get rich ;)'**

Don't think it's ever gonna happen! ;) ***pouting***

Is it a new term for the good, old fashioned 'bastard'? ;) **'that works too :P'**

Oh I have my own issue, thank you very much! ;) **"i would love to see THAT' :P**

Nice list! XD **'and a very natural one at that ;P'****  
**

Not longer though! We need to find her a new room, and more important, a new bed. XD *smiles sweetly* **'i'm afraid daddy needs his baby too ;P'**

Well, you weren't exctly around mister ;P **aint exactly his fault :P**

Yeah, you're successful again.. *teary eyes* **VBEG and rubs hands together ;P**

Haha a cold shower REALLY isn't fun;P ***shivers* nop it isnt ;)**

""She knew who you were all along!" Ruby –who was leaning on Ariel- mumbled sleepily."  
Ekk! **it is already mentioned in chapter 9 i think! ;P**

"Ariel and Granny traded looks before Ariel sighed, "Granny heard me and Ruby talking about our birth mothers one night; and since I still thought I was sold at the time, I wasn't exactly kind in what I said." Ariel elaborated and Regina gulped.  
"Sold?!" "  
Jesus, what else are we gonna find out? It's getting better and better! XD **Ariel already told Regina that, but i still have a few tricks up my sleeve ;P**

Eh baby, you couldn't have been farther from the truth..:( **Amen sister!**

Shouldn't some of you head to school soon? ;) **it's a Saturday :P**

PLEASE! NOT AGAIN! ;P **couldn't resist :P**

ROFL! I LOVE their banter! XD **me too xD**

**To Debbie93, I am glad that you enjoyed the fic and welcome. Since this story is nearing its end, I'm afraid there will be no more action, but I might do it as a separate one shot or something. Sorry I kept you waiting, this is as soon as I could update. Cant wait to hear what you think of this chapter.**

**To Jason, I was about to ask where you were! Welcome back and I hope it wasnt anything serious. There is no need for apologies. Glad you enjoyed the chapters and always looking forward to your reviews.**


	55. Off With His Head-Out With His Heart

Regina stared blankly at Ariel, eyes shifting wildly between hers. She was silently begging her to tell her that what she had in mind was not true. If her mother was in Wonderland, then there is only one person she could have been, and that person managed to hurt her even then. Her hand reflexively tightened on Henry, and she pulled him closer to her. She could feel Daniel taking her other hand and rubbing his thumb over it soothingly; he may have no idea why Regina reacted this way, but that didn't stop him from trying to comfort her. Regina's eyes flew to her father's and knew that he was going through the same dilemma; she knew that a part of him loved her mother and it pained him deeply what she did to Regina and the rest of them; and now they just informed him that she had no problem in using him as a pawn, just as long as she hurts her daughter! Her own flesh and blood.

Regina snapped out of her own head, when she felt a hand rest on her knees. She looked down and was met with her daughter's warm brown eyes, who offered her a small, sympathetic smile.

"I….If she was in Wonderland, then that means…" Regina stammers.

"I know." Ariel whispers.

"The Queen of Hearts!" Henry Sr. finishes.

Ariel turns her head to look at him, "Yeah!" she agrees softly, offering him a small smile.

"But she…" Regina trails off again, looking at her father.

"She knew you well, and she knew where to hit!" Ariel says softly.

"Can somebody please explain to those of us who are completely in the dark here?!" Emma –who got fed up with the three-way conversation that was happening- exclaims.

"What I got so far is that Cora was the Queen of Hearts!" Snow states.

"As in 'off with his head'?" Henry asks.

"The one and only!" Ariel replies.

"She kidnapped me and trapped my soul in Wonderland." Henry Sr. explains, and the rest gulp.

"That's how Jefferson became the Mad Hatter; I tricked him into helping me to get him back and I left him behind. But I never knew that it was her!" Regina says.

"I know." Ariel whispers softly.

Emma, Snow and David are silent, trying to process the information. They weren't really surprised that Henry Sr. had been used as a pawn in her schemes to get to Regina; after all she kidnapped her own daughter and tortured her for two weeks straight. She created a fake Ariel and killed her in front of her own mother, to try and break her. So kidnapping Henry Sr. and trapping his soul seemed like nothing in comparison.

Daniel was horrified at what they were saying, not because of the monstrosity of the act, not because it was unimaginable, not because it was something that Cora wouldn't do; but because he knew that what he was hearing was just the tip of the iceberg! He was horrified at the prospect of the other things that Regina faced at her mother's hands that no one knew about; least of which is killing him and taking away Ariel.

His eyes wandered off to his daughter, and his heart melted at the amount of love he saw in her eyes for her mother. And as he looked around the room, he saw it in all of their eyes, with varying degrees and significance, but it was there nonetheless. Snow was now rubbing circles on Henry Sr.'s back in an effort to comfort him. Henry had both his arms wrapped around Regina, and his head resting in the crook of her arm. Ariel was kneeling in front of her, with her hands on her thighs, rubbing them comfortingly.

"Mom, she's gone, she can't hurt you or any of us anymore!" Ariel says soothingly.

Daniel furrows his eyebrows in confusion. If Regina herself –who actually did the banishing part- had no idea where Cora ended up and thought she was in this world; then how did Ariel know where she was? Unless…..NO! His eyes widen in horror and his heart skips a beat at the implication.

"Ariel; how did you know?" he asks, and she looks at him, confused.

"That Cora was in Wonderland, and that she was the Queen of Hearts." He adds to her questioning gaze.

Regina turns her head to look at him as he speaks, before realization dawns on her and her head whips around to her daughter. She could see the answer all over her face, but was still trying to deny it.

Ariel curses inwardly, "She and I had a confrontation in Wonderland." Ariel answers, and all the blood drains from Regina's face. She stiffens in Daniel's arms, and her hold on Henry tightens even more.

"She had no idea who I was; I had light brown hair and big blue eyes!" Ariel quickly assures her almost-on-the-brink-of-panicking mother.

Regina knew of her daughter's tendency for protectiveness, so she was doubting that the last part was just for her sake.

"She could have sensed your magic, and knew who you were!" Regina remarks.

"If she knew who she was, then how come she looked like she saw a ghost the first time she saw her in the Enchanted Forrest?" David reasons.

"Mom, she had absolutely no idea who I was! If she did, she would've immediately tried to kill me. But instead, she wanted me to open up a portal to get to you." Ariel soothes, only it seems to have the opposite effect, since Regina panicked even more.

"And since she didn't show up on my doorstep, that means you said no." She states.

"Of course I did, I wasn't going to let her get to you." Ariel replies.

"So she must've tried to kill you!" Regina almost yells.

"So what else is new?! She's been trying to do that ever since you got pregnant; I kinda got used to it. Look, Mom, she had no idea I was yours. That's the whole point of the mermaid magic; it shielded my magic so that in case I ran into her, she doesn't sense it and recognize who I am. All she knew was that I was a powerful sorceress; powerful enough to open portals and that is all she cared about. That and the fact that I wasn't showing the respect she is entitled to! And since I very much enjoyed irritating her; all I did was tap dance on her nerves and left her seething! I promise you; she didn't move one hair on my head!" Ariel reassures her frantic mother.

Regina looked into her daughter's eyes trying to find any sign that she is only saying this for her benefit, but found none. She could feel Daniel's arm tightening around her, as he rubbed her arm soothingly. His other hand was now on Ariel's shoulder; trying to assure himself that she really was there, and that Cora didn't kill her. Even though they both knew that the things they saw in the mirror, and what Ariel was telling them happened in the past; neither was comfortable at knowing that their daughter was within a 100 mile radius of Cora, let alone confronting her. Daniel's breath hitched in his throat when Ariel moved one hand from her mother's knee and rested it on his, in a silent gesture of comfort.

"Regina, listen." David interrupts, "I know that you are not used to have things go well for you; and on the rare occasions that they did; they hardly ever lasted long, and it was mostly because of Cora. She always tried to take away everything and everyone in your life that you ever cared about; and she succeeded in doing so, more than once. But she's gone, and for good this time. You saw it yourself; she can't take anyone away anymore. And if by some disaster she tries from beyond the grave, none of us will let her win again." He finishes calmly.

Regina looks at him for a few moments, and seeing the sincerity in his expression, as well as the others, she finally relaxes a little.

"What the hell were you doing in Wonderland anyways? Why weren't you in Atlantica?!" Regina grumbles and Ariel giggles.

"Surprisingly enough; Cora was the lesser threat!" she dead pans, as she got off the floor and leaned forward, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek, before going back to her place next to Ruby.

"Excuse me!" Daniel cuts in.

"I had bigger fish, or more like a giant octopus to worry about!" She exclaims.

"Ursula?" Henry asks.

"Yeah, she was after me to try and use me against Dad." Ariel replies.

"You never run away from a fight, what happened this time?!" Ruby wonders.

"The reason why Dad's family was at the throne for years was because they were the most powerful among the mer-people. All mer-people have powers, but Dad's family was the most powerful. They are all born with them, so kidnapping a baby and trying to hurt them was pointless, since they normally knew how to defend themselves. Especially that a power is deadliest when it's running on survival instincts alone. And since they ruled with a fair hand, and only used their powers against criminals and those who wished the kingdom harm, no one really ever tried to wrestle the power away." Ariel starts explaining.

"And you have more powers than Zeus, so that makes you safer than all of them!" Emma interrupts.

"Except those powers come from my human side, not my mermaid one. My mermaid's ones are sort of incorporated in my original powers, and they're not as strong. And besides, no one knew that I was born into magic, and therefore thought I was powerless." Ariel clarifies.

"And so you became the perfect leverage!" Ruby exclaims.

"Exactly, they finally found Dad's weakness, or so they thought. And since whoever tried to kidnap me as a child never really lived to tell the tale, how powerful I am wasn't a known fact till I was 12. Only you and Ruby knew the truth." Ariel concurs, directing her last statement at Granny.

"By then you had the entire sea with all of its brave sailors and might pirates, terrified of you." Granny quips.

"That was you?!" Henry Sr. asks and she nods.

"What gave it away?" Granny asks.

"I woke up one day and found myself locked in one of Ursula's cells, and since she thought I was none-magical, she had shocking spells on the bars and that was it. So it took me all of two minutes to get out and past her side-kicks." Ariel replies.

"So when she got back, and you are nowhere to be found…" Henry Sr. trails off.

"Apparently, she had been watching from a secret hole and saw the whole thing." Ariel finishes.

"So she wisely decided to stay away?" Daniel asks hopefully.

Ariel giggles, "Unfortunately no, she got her hands on some squid ink."

David's heart sinks at her words, and Snow gasps; leaving everybody else in a confused state.

"Please tell me that's NOT what I think it is!" David begs.

"I'm afraid it is." Ariel smiles apologetically.

"And for those of us who aren't horrified at the mention of this ink, we would really love to join you." Emma quips.

"It's a special type of squids; it lives in the dark catacombs of the ocean. Its ink is capable of immobilizing the most powerful magical creatures, as long as they are not sea ones. You either introduce it to their blood, through an arrow or a potion; or you get them to sign a contract willingly with it." Ariel explains.

"We used it to trap Rumplestiltskin." Snow exclaims.

"I know; who do you think gave it to Lancelot?" Ariel asks.

"How did you know that they weren't going to use it on Regina?" Emma asks.

"In order to get the ink, you have to kill the squid, that is if you manage to catch it. So when Ursula got her hands on it, Dad freaked out because we didn't know how it would affect me. It may not render me completely powerless, but in the very least, weaken me enough for her to do some serious damage. So after he dealt with her, he placed a potion on the ink using my blood to make sure that it can't be used on me, should anybody else get the idea; effectively rendering it harmless to Mom." Ariel explains.

"But why would you go to Wonderland?" Henry asks.

"I didn't go there specifically; I was jumping between lands, and Wonderland just happened to be one of them. I was actually about to get out of there, when her minions found me and told me that the Queen wants an audience. The place creeped me out!" Ariel replies.

"Why didn't you just come to shore and stayed with us?" Ruby asks.

"Because Ursula can follow me to shore, and we had no idea where Cora was. The last thing we needed was the two of them forming an alliance. I can handle one of them at a time, not both!" Ariel replies.

"What happened when her minions found you?" Regina finally joins the conversation.

"Nothing, they took me to her. And even though she was whispering into the elephant trunk to that puppet of hers, I was still able to hear her; thanks to Little Red Riding Hood here." Ariel jokes, patting Ruby on the leg.

"Little Red Riding Hood?!" Daniel wonders.

"Long story. Anyways, I managed to irk her enough that she abandoned both the mask and the trunk and was yelling at me in person. After I left her seething at the knowledge that she can't get to you, I went back home and checked the water, till I saw the memory of you pushing her through the looking glass, weeks after I was born." Ariel finishes the tale.

"And Ursula?" Henry asks.

"She had been dealt with by then."

* * *

The rest of the day passed in laughs and happier tales from this world, as well as the Enchanted Forrest. David, Ruby and Granny decided to tease Regina and Snow about their confrontation on their wedding day, leaving the rest laughing hysterically. Especially when David decided to reenact it and change his voice with each character. Snow retaliated by teasing David about how he was growling at Jefferson-when he accused them of tricking him-with Ariel on his shoulders.

Even though Daniel was having the time of his life, and taking part in the conversations, his mind was preoccupied. In less than 6 hours, he had returned to life, learned that his fiancée became the Evil Queen, that her mother was apparently more brutal than anyone had ever imagined, his little girl was the one who finally stood up to her for the sake of her mother and the rest of the land, that she wasn't exactly little any more, and last but not least; that he had to learn basically everything about this new world that they live in now.

Ruby and Granny left around noon, to catch the lunch rush hour at the diner, and left the family to enjoy each other's company. After lunch, they decided to take Henry Sr. and Daniel on a tour of the town. First stop: the stables. Daniel winced a little when he walked in and remembered what he did to Regina and Henry the last time he was in this place, and he tightened his hands around Regina's.

"Hey, it's okay; you didn't know what you were doing!" Regina whispers gently, and rubs her thumb over his knuckles, knowing exactly what was going through his mind.

He smiles softly at her, and she offers him one back. All of his worries and bad memories fade when he catches sight of Ariel dealing with her horse. Apparently, the mare was throwing a bit of a tantrum when they came in and Ariel was scolding her. It was quite an amusing sight; Ariel was standing within the mare's reach, but refused to pet her. The mare put on her best puppy eyes and tried to appeal to Ariel's soft side, and after a few strokes with her nose to her owner's neck and face, Ariel finally relents and kisses her head. She giggles softly, when the mare lowers her head and nibbles on Ariel's finger in search for food. He couldn't keep the proud goofy grin off his face as he watched the entire scene; he now knew what David meant when he said she was his daughter when it came to horses. Regina had her head resting on his shoulder, and he rested his head on top of hers, as she let out a content sigh.

They went for a walk on the beach after, and walked for a bit through town, before Regina decided to let them all in on a secret. She led them to the mausoleum and down to her vault, where she pushed on one of the brick walls. To everyone's surprise, the wall moved under her hand and it revealed a room behind it. Once they were all in, Regina lit the room and giggled at their sharp intake of breaths.

The room had some of the dresses and jewelry she wore in the Enchanted Forrest, as well as a few nick nacs that she held dear.

"This is where I kept the blanket that you were wrapped in after you were born." She exclaims softly to Ariel, who smiles lovingly at her.

"You actually wore these?!" Daniel and Henry exclaim at the same time.

Regina giggles at their enthusiasm,and nods. She could tell that the gears in Daniel's head were turning.

"Yeah, those are the ones that I liked." She informs them.

Daniel leans in close to her ear, and whispers so only she would hear him, "I'm gonna need to see you in them!"

After the vault, they walked some more through town, meeting and greeting people along the way, before they all stumbled into the house around dinner time. Regina, Snow and Ariel headed for the kitchen to cook, and David, Emma and Henry took the opportunity to explain some of the things in the modern world; like the 'weird carriages' that don't require a horse to pull them, or the weird little boxes that they talk to all the time, and last but not least, the magic box and all the images it shows.

* * *

** I am very very sorry for the delay but work has been crazy and getting sick didn't help. Here's a long chapter for you enjoyment, so let me know what you think. How fast I update depends on how fast you guys review.**

**To Alexie Mills; welcome sweetie and glad you enjoyed it. You are more than welcome my dear, it brings me great pleasure that I can offer you something good to read and bring me joy that you like it that much. Looking forward to more reviews.**

**To reginamillz; thank you dear, I am StableQueen fan all the way, so I will try to put in more moments. This is as soon as it got, sorry for the delay.**

**To EvilRegal; thank you hun, glad you liked it.**

**To Sweetangelmist; does that mean she's pretending to be me, or pretending to be the character?! I don't have an IG account and therefore have no idea how it works or what it means, would really appreciate the help. Your last review had me laughing hysterically! I updated on Feb 5th but I know what you mean, and no worries, you weren't pushy, but like I said earlier, work and sick! Sorry for the long wait hun and hopefully next chapter will be soon.**

**To Jason; Henry woke up in chapter 52 :) and when all your life only your nightmare come to life, it takes a while to get used to having your dreams come true :)**

**To Dakota Kent; welcome back my dear, long time no see. Thank you.**

**To Guest; I am afraid that the story is coming to an end, just a few more chapters and that is all. I am glad you enjoyed it and hopefully I'll write another one or maybe a sequel, depending on what kind of ideas I get.**

**To impureevil; no Once Upon A Time isn't the only series I like, I like many more but so far has only written fics for Charmed and OUAT. The rest of the chapters will be fluff, since the story is coming to an end, so there is no more room for action.**

**To lestralogranger; I have no idea who Bellatrix is! **

**To Katie99; Welcome hun and I'm very glad to hear that. Looking forward to more reviews and I hope you like this.**

**To XSerendipity92X; I think she deserves it too, which is why I'm giving it to her till the damned writers decide to finally do it! **

**To Gizela; **

Bad luck indeed.. What to do, what to do.. I KNOW! *eureka moment* Let's just kill him again so he can rest in peace! Sounds like a plan, doesn't it? XD **do YOU have some sort of a death wish! You stay away from him missy :P**

2 is a couple, 3 is.. a crowd;P **not from where I'm standing :P**

How does a platinum cage sound then? XD **nah! trapping her within the statue! that way she suffocates to death :P *smiles devilishly* kinda like House of Wax ;)**

"'wouldn't you like to know? :P'"  
Oh I SO would! XD **dream on ;P**

"'try learning arabic...possibilities are endless with it ;)'"  
I don't think a lifetime would be enough;P **I'll do it for the both of us then ;)**

"'he's gonna get rich ;)'"  
I don't think he himself would be enough for them all.. I guess cloning is in order! XD **or he might need therapy himself xD**

""i would love to see THAT' :P"  
You woudn't, trust me XD **Trust ME I do :P**

AT NIGHTS? *opens eyes widely* Are you implying incest, sweetheart? ;) **have we met?! OF COURSE NOT! I am merely implying that he misses his daughter and wants to have her sleeping in his arms ;) :P he has to make up for lost time, remember? xD :P**

Mmmm plotting a revenge... XD **cant wait xD**

"Ariel already told Regina that, but i still have a few tricks up my sleeve ;P"  
Can't wait! *shivers* ;P ***VBEG***

"couldn't resist :P"  
Again VERY tempted to visit Cairo asap ;) **you might wanna hurry up before I am no longer there xD**

" especially with Ariel and Ruby teasing Emma about her appetite."  
Hhaah I'd like to see it! XD **me too xD**

Someone please slap her so she knows it's reality! I'd do this myself but promised to be good XD *smiles sweetly* **she is NOT used to having good things happen to her! Cut her some slack, and STAY AWAY from MY baby! :P **

Breathe, just breathe, son. She's still gonna be there in 2 mins. And even in 2 hours ;) **he's breathing, he's just making sure that SHE is ;)**

Have you ever heard of knocking, mister? ;) **he was hoping to catch her by surprise ;)**

Make him a chart ;P **you and your chart fascination :P**

""Nothing's wrong, everything is quite perfect actually.""  
It's hard to get used to it, isn't it? ;) **no kidding! ;)**

Hhaha 50 years of lying in the grave didn't dull your intuition, did it, mister? ;) **well he didnt know that they were 50 xD**

Ok, can *I* slap her since nobody else is volunteering, pretty pleeeease? XD Yeah, I know I promised to... but... DON'T HIT ME WOMAN! Ok, ok! ... ... ... Umm how about pinching then? *hopeful* XD **STAY AWAY FROM MY BABY! Don't make me repeat myself again :P**

" I mean, why on earth would you have that guy who came barging in wanting to take Ariel back with him to god knows where?" he asks, a hint of anger in his voice."  
Hhahah! Exactly, why? ;) **she has a secret crush on him :P**

Hahah he's been knowing her for like 2 hours and she's daddy's girl already! XD **she always has been one, just not with this daddy ;)****  
**

Oh wait till you meet Hook! XD It's gonna be fun, not for him though! XD **Poor Hook!**

Oh don't get me started! ;P **please do :P**

Umm she isn't exactly a baby anymore, she can make her own decisions, you know :P **well we already have one idiot making all the wrong ones! Oh wait! That's on the show ;P here she can actually make the RIGHT one ;)**

Someone page Whale, she needs calm injection! Or... can it be me, pretty please? *flutters eyelashes innocently***she'll end up 6 feet under! ;) xD**

Bad parenting here! Oh wait, you aren't her mother though.. so get lost lady! ;P **she's her big sister ;P**

""Well, I called my super"

You called who? :S **a super is sort of like a landlord; he's the guy who takes care of apartment buildings.**

Most likely, he did NOT. I mean he shouldn't have:P**there's the technical talk again : :P**

Oh hello, it's getting even more interesting! **it always does ;)**

And now go and give Daniel a hug 'cause I bet it hurt him. **that's what sleeping in the same bed is for :P**

Ummm.. so, MORE? XD Please? SOON? ;P *batters eyelashes* **that's as soon as it can get xD**


	56. When You Wish Upon A Star

Daniel sat on the bench in Regina's backyard staring at the same spot on the lawn that he has been looking at for quite some time now. Emma and Henry were trying to beat each other in some video game, and David and Henry Sr. were watching in amusement. The events of the day happened so fast, that he really didn't have time to comprehend what had happened. He excused himself to go to the bathroom, and then snuck to the backyard. Regina, Snow and Ariel were still in the kitchen working on dinner so he knew they wouldn't notice his absence. He was still trying to process all the information that he received over the day; Regina's reign as the Evil Queen, the curse, Ariel, Whale, Cora…..there were too many to count. He was still trying to figure out a way to talk to Regina about something, but couldn't decide if it was better left alone or not. He was so lost in thought, that he didn't hear the soft voice calling him from the house, nor did he hear the footsteps that followed. He jumped slightly when a hand was placed on his shoulders, and he looked up to find Ariel's soft brown eyes looking down at him.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly.

His heart flutters at the concern and love in her voice and eyes; he had already seen them directed at Regina when they talked about Cora, knowing what her mother was feeling; and he saw it directed at Henry, Snow, David and Emma; even Ruby and Granny; but he was still not used to seeing it directed at him. He knew that she already hugged him when he first saw her, but he had no idea how to deal with her from that point on. He was scared that it was a spur of the moment, heat of the emotion kind of thing; and therefore he had no idea what is acceptable on her part.

"Daddy?" Ariel calls softly, and he can't help the face-splitting grin that forms on his face at the tittle.

"Yes baby?"

"Are you okay? You kinda disappeared all of a sudden." She asks again.

"Yeah, I just needed some time to process things I guess." He answers.

"Something's been on your mind all day." She points out, and he smiles at her.

"It's that noticeable?" He chuckles.

"I kinda know how to spot the signs; what's on your mind?" she inquires.

He is silent for a moment before he sighs, "I already told your mother this, but it is still nagging me." He looks up at her and she nods her head for him to go on. He gets up from his seat and takes a few steps, "I never believed good magic existed, and everything I knew about Cora just proved me right. I mean, anything that can make you hurt your own child can't possibly be good. And if good magic existed, then someone would have stood up to her and protected Regina. And everything Snow and David told me about Regina's reign as the Evil Queen didn't help, until they told me about you. How you had more powers than Cora, Regina and The Dark One, _combined_, and yet you still remained good and pure. And that you were the one who stood up to her. And the more stories they told me about her, the more I realized, that what your mother used to tell me was _nothing _compared to what she went through; that what we all knew was just a straw, and I ….." he trails off, waving his hands around him in frustration. He was now standing with his back to the house and facing Ariel, who had her arms crossed over her chest.

"You know, when we first got back I spent a night with Ruby in the woods to make sure she doesn't turn and kill people since she was rusty and all; when I got back I said something about not talking to my parents for three weeks when I found out the truth about my birth mother, and that I was beyond angry when I found out. And even though Mom knew that I was 10 when I found out about her, and that she wasn't even the Evil Queen then, that I had no reason to be mad for being hers; she still took it to mean that I got mad for being hers. And more over, that it was understandable and predictable." Ariel recounts and Daniel could feel his anger approaching dangerously high levels. He had half a mind to ask Ariel to bring Cora back so he can kill her himself.

"It's not the physical stuff that we worry about; they're not what did the damage. You can move past a physical injury, but the emotional ones….the knowledge that your mother, the one who is supposed to protect you against all harm, is the one who is capable of bringing about the most painful harm of all; that she doesn't love you because she thinks love is weakness; that your presence in her life is nothing more than just a means to an end; that she has absolutely no problem in torturing you and manipulating you in the most cruel way, just so that she gets what she wants; and what's even worse, is that you're not even worth the love, that she is giving you what you deserve. Cora didn't just make her believe that love was weakness; she made her believe that she wasn't worth it, no matter how trivial and frivolous it is. She made her believe that she's not worth anything good, and that she can't get anything right. That she basically deserved everything Cora did to her, and that she was ungrateful for not accepting it and thanking her. That is what we worry about; because that is what is still hurting her till now. You saw the look on her face when I mentioned the talk I had with Granny, even though I told her over and over again that I never got mad for being hers, even when she became the Evil Queen. And I told her time and time again that when I got mad at my birth mother was when I thought I was sold, and I explained it all. Hell, she even looked into the mirror and saw how I reacted to finding out I was hers. But she still expects us all to disappear any minute, and she still thinks that she doesn't deserve our love. She thinks I would have been better off if I never knew the truth about her, and the latest stunt with Cora didn't exactly help." She explains.

"But she has all the guarantees that we love her, that we're not going anywhere, that Cora's words were nothing but lies, that Cora herself is gone and for good this time." he retorts.

"Yes, but you can't take away _years _of words and events that corroborate said words with a few months of blissful happiness. Rumplestiltskin orchestrated everything so that Cora's words are proven to be correct time and time again; whenever something went right for her, it never lasted long. She had you for years and me for months, and then we were both gone, also to never return. She had Henry for 10 years, and then she lost him too. Cora always took away what was good in her life, and she lost Henry and Grandpa when she followed in her footsteps. You can't take away years with just a couple of months; especially after what happened last time. David told me that you guys saw my reaction to what Cora was doing, and that he told you the injuries that Mom and Dad had to heal; and I am very grateful that you guys _did NOT _see what Cora _actually _did! And she's been doing this her whole life; granted that this time was actually the worst, but that only means that the fears are rational and have grounds." Ariel states.

"Nothing compares to the loss of a child, and I'm sure all the physical injuries paled in comparison when she thought you died in her arms." He says softly.

"Yes, that's my point. The physical pain and injuries can be dealt with; they fade away with time and leave no trace. Dad healed her, so she didn't even have to wait to heal on her own. But the emotional one will take some time to shake, especially that since I'm alive, other feelings are starting to show their heads, and she's finally dealing with emotions that have been building up for decades."

"I just feel so helpless!" He exclaims.

Ariel chuckles, "You're kidding right?!"

"No, I'm quite serious!" he answers.

"Dad, you are anything but! She's been dreaming of getting you back for decades and she finally has her wish; you kept her sane and pure before in the face of what Cora did, and that's all she needs right now. To know that we will all be here no matter what, that we won't disappear on her again. She never had so many people around her like this before, and it will take her sometime to get used to the feeling and stop expecting the worse to happen. All we can do is be there for here, let her know that she doesn't have to fight her battles on her own anymore. She only surrendered to the darkness when she knew she was safe with David and Ruby, and that they will take her back here where she's safe; when she knew that Ruby was going to tear Cora to shreds. She stopped fighting, only when she knew she was safe. So we just need to let her know that she _is _safe, and that we all are." She presses.

"And there's no way Cora can come back like we did?" He asks.

"No, first of all, she is the last the last person I would want to bring back to life. Second of all, and most importantly, I burned the body, which means there's no coming back." She answers.

Daniel opens his mouth to say something, when Ariel's head snaps to the sky. He follows her line of sight and sees a shooting star. He looks back at Ariel to finish his sentence, when he notices the slight terror on her face and her clenched fists.

"Ariel?" he calls softly, and his heart sinks when her head whips back to him and he sees the fear and tears in them.

"Uh, right! Back to what we were saying…" she clears her throat and shakes her head.

"Oh no, what's wrong?" he asks worriedly.

"Nothing, I just hate shooting stars." She says nonchalantly, but he can tell that there's more to the story than that.

"You were gonna say something." she tries to change the subject.

"Oh no you don't young lady, what is it?" he presses.

"Like I said, I hate shooting stars. Ever since I was a baby, they scared me." She answers.

Daniel quirks an eyebrow at her, and scowls at her slightly so she would keep going.

"Dad, it's nothing, trust me, just forget it." She assures him.

"No I won't, you know why they scare you, I can see it in your eyes and I'm your father so I can't just forget it." Even Daniel was surprised at the remark but he didn't take it back; he was her father, and even though he was surprised at how easily and naturally the fatherly instincts kicked in, he wasn't going to dwell on the subject and was going to use them.

Ariel sighs, and he can tell that she is fighting the lump in her throat and the tears, "Mom said that you know that I've been dreaming about the night Cora….um.." she trails off.

"Killed me! And yes I know." Daniel finishes for her.

"Well, the only explanation to how I actually managed to dream about it before I knew, was that since Mom was pregnant at the time, I somehow saw it through her. And since I had the dreams when I was six, I always saw it from a different angle than Mom's. And at the moment Cora puts her hand into your chest, there was a shooting..."She is interrupted by her father arm snacking around her body and pulling her against his. She wrapped her arms around him, as she buried her face in his chest. He brought one hand to stroke her hair soothingly –he remembered that it calmed Regina down so he figured he'd give it a try with her- and pressed his mouth to her hair, where he murmured kisses and assuring words, as he rocked them both gently.

"I'm alive now sweetheart, and thanks to you no less!" he assures, and she lets out a tearful laugh.

"I know, but that was actually the point I was trying to make. Even though you are back, those images were reality for so long for both me and Mom; and with her it wasn't just them. So even though they are refuted now and are no longer a reality, it will take some time to shake off." She states, without breaking out of his hold.

"Take all the time you need baby! And look at it this way; there was a shooting star on the night I came back to life!" he speaks softly into her hair, and she tightens her arms around him.

* * *

Regina had chosen the moment when Ariel was telling Daniel about the dream to come out of the house to call for them, she stopped when she saw them talking and smiled softly at the scene she dreamed of many times. Her smile faded and her face contorted in concern when she saw the tears glistening in Ariel's eyes and was about to move closer and say something, when Daniel pulled her into his arms, and Regina was once again glued to the spot, watching the scene in silence.

Daniel was rocking them both from side to side, when Ariel opened her eyes and spotted her mother. She lifted her head from her father's chest, and smiled warmly at her mother. Daniel lifted his head when he felt her move, and followed her line of sight, beaming when he saw Regina walking towards them. He unwrapped one arm from around Ariel, and put it around Regina's shoulders.

"How long have you been standing there?" Ariel asks softly.

"A couple of minutes, but I didn't want to interrupt." She replies, "Are you okay, baby?" she asks softly, caressing her cheek with her thumb.

"Yeah, I'm fine, we were refuting a few childhood phobias." Ariel answers softly.

Regina looks skeptically at her daughter, and opens her mouth to press the issue further, when Henry's voice interrupts her.

"MOM! The other Mom is about to eat all the food, we need help in here" he yells, as he runs to the small group, causing Ariel to burst out laughing, as they all moved towards the house.

* * *

**Okay I know that you all hate me for the long wait, and a few of you are planning my murder. I am very very sorry for the long wait, but having two jobs, a life and a bunch of paperwork is no fun and barely left me time to breathe.**

**Let me know what you all think of the chapter, I had a few requests for a father/daughter moment so here is it.**

**To Metope, thank you hun, hope you enjoy this :)**

**To XSerendipity92X, Me too :)**

**To Kcrane; I am not sure yet :) and good to hear from you again :)**

**To The Rising Phoenix, she cant do that since not all of those people made it to Storybrooke and not all of them remained alive.**

**To Debbie93, so sorry for the long wait hun, hope you like this.**

**To Jason, yes it is quite entertaining and I love their moments too :)**

**To sweetanglemist, glad you enjoyed it hun and yes I meant the Ursula review. Glad she's not pretending to be me, but I don't appreciate that she's pretending to be Ariel, although I'm flattered :D And Happy Valentine's to you too and yes I had a special someone making me feel better on V-Day.**

**To secretballetdancer, welcome back hun and good luck with college. **

**To evilregal007; yes she is and I am glad to hear that :)**

**To Gizela; **do YOU have some sort of a death wish! You stay away from him missy :P  
Apparently! ;)** paging Archie ;)**

"not from where I'm standing :P  
Umm polygamy and all? ;) **and you still haven't read 50 shades of Grey :P**

"Trust ME I do :P"  
Umm let me quote SOMEONE.. 'dream on' XD **I wonder who that someone is :P**

It isn't healthy:P At all:P Nights are reserved for mummy and he can make up for said lost time during the daytime:P **she's a daddy's girl, live with it :P**

The revenge's getting crap:( **oh no! why is that? :/**

Maybe I wanna meet up.. elsewhere? ;) **somewhere over the rainbow maybe? ;)**

Looks like I need to stay away from everyone *sulks* Am I even allowed to read the fic anymore? ;)**stop asking to hit her and I will let you near her, and of course hun, i cant live without you or your review ;)**

"he was hoping to catch her by surprise ;)"  
He should have come earlier ;) **maybe next time ;)**

"you and your chart fascination :P"  
It was proven that images are easier remembered by brain than the words:P **oh I'm sure he's interested in other kinds of images ;P**

Hmm let me think about it.. ;) Does it also involve staying away from your fic as well by any chance? *smiles angelically* ;) **quoting someone as she quotes someone, DREAM ON ;P**

Only one? LOL! And which one do you mean? Snow, by any chance? ;) **right I forgot! we have three idiots :D**

"she's her big sister ;P"  
*rolls eyes* ;) **scowlding :P**

"there's the technical talk again : :P"  
What else did you expect? ;P **silent enjoyment :P****  
**

"that's what sleeping in the same bed is for :P"  
Don't get me started, seriously! ;P **couldn't resist :P**

Umm but when Regina went to Wonderland with Jefferson to get her father back, she knew very well who Queen of Hearts was ;P **didnt i already say that Regina didnt know :P**

Brava! You're so clever, I'd never guess! ;P **you really love her dont you :P**

"but because he knew that what he was hearing was just the tip of the iceberg!"  
You have no idea! **he's starting to get one!**

""She and I had a confrontation in Wonderland.""  
Don't tell me you're Alice as well, huh? O.O **no don't worry she's not! I am not a big fan of Alice in Wonderland to begin with so no worries dear :)**

""She had no idea who I was; I had light brown hair and big blue eyes!""  
O.O **she looked like Daddy ;)**

"So what else is new?! She's been trying to do that ever since you got pregnant; I kinda got used to it."  
Hahahha sweet:P **there really is no beating around the bush with her ;)**

Is there anything you CAN'T do? ;P **not really :P to quote someone, powerfully talented ;)**

WOAH, be careful mister, I'm ALMOST starting to like you:P ...Wait, wrong show/fic:P** ROFL **

""What the hell were you doing in Wonderland anyways? Why weren't you in Atlantica?!" Regina grumbles and Ariel giggles.  
"Surprisingly enough; Cora was the lesser threat!" "  
EEEEKKKK? O.O **I love it when you squeak :P**

""Unfortunately no, she got her hands on some squid ink.""  
Ekk you mean THE squid ink? **the one and only :D**

"he placed a potion on the ink using my blood to make sure that it can't be used on me, should anybody else get the idea; effectively rendering it harmless to Mom." Ariel explains."  
Ok. **I sense technical talk coming up :P**

"The last thing we needed was the two of them forming an alliance. I can handle one of them at a time, not both!" Ariel replies."  
Even one of them is too much! XD **TRUE! i prefer none of them! :D**

""Little Red Riding Hood?!" Daniel wonders.  
"Long story."  
We have time ;) **HAHAHAHA! I might write a fic about Daniel watching the Disney movies of their lives :P**

"Snow retaliated by teasing David about how he was growling at Jefferson-when he accused them of tricking him-with Ariel on his shoulders."  
Huh? :P **you'll know when you go back to review the previous chapters :P**

"Even though Daniel was having the time of his life, "  
Not sure if it applies to this case! XD **time of his second life xD**

Poor you, looks like you're gonna be extremely busy for the rest of your life.. second life I mean ;P **EXACTLY :P**

More like your alter-ego than you yourself.. **true!**

Haha like owner, like horse? ;) **hey, horse gotta learn from someone ;)****  
**

Can't wait to see more of that room on the show XD **me too xD**

**To impureEvil, happy birthday hun and I'm glad I could help even with a simple gift. Hope you had a blast at your birthday.**

**To lestralogranger, don't like Harry Potter and still have no idea who she is :D I'll see what I can do about Regina's birthday :)**

**To sweetangelmist; sorry for the long wait hun but like i said work and life got in the way. And since this story has about 4 more chapters at the most, there will be no more crazy Rumple moments I'm afraid.**

**To Guest; oh no, I hope your mother is okay now and I hope this will help cheer you up a bit.**

**To carriemarrie78, sweetie did you disappear off the face of the earth?!**


	57. Nightmare and Stomachaches

Regina was looking through the garage for the sleeping bag; her father was sleeping in Henry's room, and Ariel next to Emma, so Henry had to sleep in the sleeping bag till they figure out a more permanent solution to their living arrangements. She knew that Snow and David would probably move out, but judging by Snow's temper tantrum earlier about needing more time to enjoy each other's company, it wasn't happening anytime soon. And in all honesty, she didn't want it to. She enjoyed having them all under one roof, especially that this way Henry never has to leave, and she can make up for lost time with him and Snow.

She finally locates it, and finds it in a decent state. She dusts off the dirt and takes it back into the house. As soon as she enters the house, she hears Emma and Ariel's laughter from the kitchen, and she can't help but smile happily. Henry's signing voice could be heard from the downstairs bathroom, and she chuckles at her son's antiques. He had stopped doing that a few months before the curse broke, and it warmed her heart that he was back to his normal self. She walks up the stairs, and sets the sleeping bag near the ventilation so that he stays warm. She starts walking back towards her room to check on Daniel, when she passes by Henry's room and she stops in front of the door. She looks at it thoughtfully for a few seconds, before biting her lip and knocking on the door.

"Come in" her father's soft voice comes from the other side.

She opens the door and walks in, "Hey Daddy, can we talk?" she asks apprehensively.

"Of course sweetheart" he smiles gently at her.

Regina walks over to the bed, and sits next to him, all the while trying to think of a way to approach the subject at hand.

"I'm sorry" she says solemnly, smiling softly at him.

He looks quizzically at her, "for…um…killing you." She stutters, tears rising to her eyes.

"Regina, I already told you that you have nothing to apologize for. I…" he starts speaking, but she interrupts him.

"No, I do. Even if you don't need it, I do." She pleads gently, and he nods.

She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves, "There was not a day that went by that I didn't regret what I did; and it haunted me all the time. You were the one who stood by me till the very end, and eventually even you were not safe from my dark heart. All you wanted was for me to be happy again, and you paid the price. But when I got Henry; I was torn. I felt guilty and horrible for killing you; but at the same time, it brought me him, and I could never regret that, and I just…"she trailed off, not knowing how to finish. Not that her father needed her to, he already knew what she wanted to say. He pulled her into his arms, and she curled up in his arms like a little girl once more, relishing the sense of safety his arms always brought her. The same safety she never thought she'll ever feel again.

"I didn't want you to kill me because I didn't want you to come to this world alone; I didn't want to leave you alone. I was never able to protect you from Cora and I didn't want to fail you anymore. My heart is how you cast the curse, and it brought on the happiness I am witnessing at the moment. You are surrounded by so many people that love you and would do anything for you, and you are finally happy and at peace. If you hadn't cast the curse, it may not have happened. I never thought this day will come, and it is a dream come true for me. If my heart is what helped this come about, then I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. And your heart isn't dark, sweetheart, you just stopped using it for a while." He says softly, as he rests his head on top of hers.

Regina just tightens her arms around her father, and sighs contently. "I love you Daddy!" she mumbles against his chest.

"I love you too sweetheart" he gives her a kiss on the head before he rests his cheek against the top of his head once more.

* * *

Snow was walking towards the linen closet to get something, when she caught sight of Regina crumpled in her father's arms. She smiled softly at the sight, and had to bite back the content sigh as she looked at her mother who looked like a little girl in her father's arms. She turned her head towards the stairs when she heard the steps creaking, and saw Ariel. She pressed a finger to her lips, in a gesture for Ariel to keep quiet, and ushered her to come over.

Ariel tiptoed to her, and followed Snow's pointed finger. Her face softened and she cocked her head to the side as she looked at the sight. She felt Snow's arms snack around her shoulders, and she put hers around her waist, and leaned her head against Snow's.

Daniel chose that moment to come out of Regina's room, in search of her and caught sight of Snow and Ariel cuddled in each other's arms. He smiled softly at the sight of his daughter, and…..er…._stepdaughter?!_ He walked over to them in silence, so as to not disturb their moment, and his face softened even more when he saw what they were looking at. Before he could stop himself, he put his arms around both women, and was surprised when they both leaned into it.

* * *

Sensing that they were being watched, Henry Sr. lifts his head and looks at the door.

"It appears we have an audience" he chuckles, and Regina only lets go slightly so she can turn around and look. She finds her _fiancé_ and daughters smiling cheekily at them.

"What are you three doing?" she scolds lightly.

"Just watching the infamous Evil Queen crumble down to a little girl in her father's arms." Ariel teases and Daniel is surprised when Regina laughs lightheartedly at the remark.

"Says the girl who had the entire sea terrified of her by the age of 12 and freaks out every time she sees a shooting star!" David quips from behind them, and Daniel's heart skips a beat at the shooting-star remark. He looks worriedly at Ariel, and notices the slight fear in her eyes, but she glares at David nonetheless.

"How on earth do you know about that?!" she asks incredulously.

"Athena!" David declares triumphantly, wiggling his eyebrows at her glare, "she said she couldn't believe that the girl curled up and asleep in her arms, is the same one who terrorized he who dared harm a mermaid, but was terrified of shooting stars!" he adds.

"She terrorized the sea?!" Daniel asks in amazement.

"Yes; tales of her was told to anyone who dared to venture into the sea!" Henry Sr. replies, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Most of those stories are exaggerated!" Ariel grumbles.

"Sweetie, you had the entire sea with all of it's mighty sailors and notorious pirates terrified at even the mention of your name!" Snow interrupts.

"Hey, I only hurt pirates, and only when they captured mermaids. As long as they behaved, I left them alone." She defends.

"Well, I can say from experience that I for one think that they nailed down the tales, especially the _killer _looks!" David teases, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"And suddenly pushing you across the border seems like a very good idea." She remarks.

"That's why I chose to save it for a rainy day" he retorts cheekily, moving past her and plumping down on the bed at Regina and Henry Sr.'s feet.

"And Prince Charming comes to the rescue once more!" Snow exclaims dramatically, walking over and sitting in his lap.

"When was Ariel curled up and asleep in Athena's arms with you around?" Regina asks.

David and Ariel trade looks, "Well, when we went to the Enchanted Forrest to get you out, we wanted to wait for dawn before we move in; didn't want Cora to use the darkness to her advantage, since she and Ariel were the ones who knew the island like the back of their hands. Dawn was a couple of hours away, and no matter how hard we tried, Ariel refused to rest till then. So Athena took us to Angel Crest caves, which apparently always had a calming effect on Ariel. Less than 15 minutes later, Ariel was fast asleep in Athena's arms." He explains gently.

"Angel Crest?!" Snow asks.

"They're a bunch of caves in a secluded part of the sea; they're not really called that, but they look like half a crest over the water and their reflection in the moonlight looks like an angel. I've been calling it that since I was a kid, and it appears it rubbed off on Mom." Ariel explains.

"They used to take me there after every nightmare, never failed to put me to sleep" she adds.

Regina and Daniel are both smiling wistfully at their daughter; they both had a hint of sadness in their eyes that they missed all those moments with her, but the little details of her life helped a bit.

"And now it appears I need to make sure to keep those two away from any of you!" Ariel grumbles dramatically, earning chuckles from the rest of the group.

"Oh I'm sure the dirt they have on you can fill up an entire library!" David teases.

"There is no dirt, I was quiet!" she defends, and David bursts out laughing.

Ariel narrows her eyes at him, "Any objections, _Charming_!"

"Quiet?! Seriously?! Almost _every_ horrible storm that happened after your birth was _your_ doing!" he retorts.

"That's not true" she squeaks.

"The worst ones are! They matched the timeline!" he declares.

"What timeline?" Daniel interrupts.

"Regina and I had about three weeks between finding out about her and actually getting her back, and since we knew that her powers are hot-wired to her emotions, and that most of the evidence we based the original theory on –that she was Regina's- were connected to the storms she causes, we managed to pinpoint events that happened with Regina before every single storm." David explains.

"You create storms?" Henry Sr. asks in amazement, and a hint of pride; earning a snort from both Snow and David.

"Some of the worse! She has control over the elements, and whenever her emotions went into overdrive, all hell broke loose!" Snow declares, before she and David proceed to list some of the storms that she caused.

"Once again, pushing you _both_ across the border seems like a very very good idea at the moment" Ariel pouts, before her father chuckles and pulls her into his arms. She rests her head comfortably on his chest, and puts her arms around his waist, and Regina's heart immediately melts.

"Speaking of the border and the spell; it is absolutely ridiculous that you keep trying to break it when no one seems to want to leave anyways. It is draining you, and entirely pointless! If anybody wants to leave, all they have to do is take you with them and have you restore their memory once they cross the line." Snow states.

"Magic doesn't work outside of Storybrooke!" Regina exclaims.

"Yeah, but if they stand right across the line, she can send the spell through the air and restore the memory." David interjects.

"You sure?" Snow presses.

"Yeah, we already tried it with him. And actually I agree with you, we'll let them know in the morning." Ariel assures her.

* * *

_Regina's head is throbbing like hell, and she's very uncomfortable. Her arms and chest hurt, and there's a dull aching pain in her chest. She opens her eyes slowly, and the first thing she sees, are the stony walls of a cave. She lifts her head from the wall she's leaning on, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before she feels the weight on her arm. She looks down, and her breathing quickens at the sight._

_Ariel is lying in her arms, with her eyes closed and a very pale face. She brings her other hand to her daughter's cheek to try and wake her, and a sob escapes her lips at how cold the skin feels. Her eyes travel down her daughter's body and land on the bloody gash in her stomach. And the horrific truth finally sets in._

_Her baby was gone to never return; those soft brown eyes will never look at her again; her laugh won't resonate throughout the house anymore. Regina had failed to protect her daughter, and this time there were no do-overs._

_The door to the cave swings open, and in walks her mother. Regina instinctively pulls her baby closer to her body and tightens her arms around her._

"_A little late for that, don't you think!" Cora taunts, as she comes closer._

_Regina pulls her baby even closer and presses her back against the stone wall, in a futile attempt to stay as far away from her mother, for as long as possible. Cora just smirks and waves her hand lazily. _

_Next thing Regina knew, she's blinking in the face of the blazing sun. Her arms suddenly feel empty, and when she looks down, Ariel's body is not in them. _

"_Missing something?" Cora taunts._

_Regina looks up at her mother and sees Ariel's body floating a few feet above the water; she scrambles to her feet, to try and get to her baby, and immediately freezes in her tracks. The water under Ariel's body is swarmed with sharks. Regina's chest starts to heave, as she struggles to take her breath, "Mother, please. Don't do this, please!" she pleads with her mother._

"_You need to start thinking straight, darling. And it appears that as long as that daughter of yours is around, alive or dead, that's not going to happen" Cora says nonchalantly, before she waves her hand and Ariel's body falls to the sea._

"_NO" Regina screams and lunges forward, only for something to hold her back._

"REGINA!"

_She struggles against the force stopping her from going after her baby, and she screams again when she sees the sharks shred her baby to pieces._

"REGINA! Wake-up, baby, come on!"

_The voice demands more forcefully. _

Suddenly her eyes snap open, and she stares wildly and blankly at Daniel. Her brown eyes move wildly between his baby blue ones, and it takes her a few seconds before they come into focus.

"Daniel!" she breathes.

"Yes, baby, it's me. It's okay, it was just a dream." He soothes, smoothing out her hair.

Her eyes take in her surroundings, and she starts to calm down a bit when she realizes that she's in her room, at her house in Storybrooke.

"Hey, it was just a dream!" Daniel's soft voice brings her eyes back to him. She looks at him for a few more seconds, before she collapses against his chest. Daniel wordlessly wraps his arm around her, rubs circles on her back and murmurs kisses and assurances into her hair.

"It wasn't a dream, I was reliving what she did to Ariel." she mumbles into his chest, as she tries to hold back the tears.

Daniel sighs and tightens his arms around her; he suspected that the lack of Ariel in her arms as she sleeps will probably bring back the nightmares. And hearing how Ariel had a confrontation with her in Wonderland wasn't going to help either.

"She's alive, Regina. She was never in her hands, and Cora was never able to physically hurt her. She's asleep right down the hall." He assures her.

Regina breathes in his scent, and takes comfort in his steady heartbeat, "I know!" she whispers.

Ariel's words from earlier echo in his mind, and he realizes that even if that wasn't really Ariel, it still looked enough like her and she still died in Regina's arms.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks softly.

Regina is silent for a few minutes, before she recounts what happened and what she saw in her dream.

"I never actually saw her throwing the body to the sharks, but my mind went wild with images for days of her being ripped." She explains softly.

"It wasn't her, baby. She was right here, safe and sound." He assures her again.

"I know that, but it's not like my mother made someone look like Ariel and killed them. She _created _her out of thin air, and there were little details that sealed the deal. Yes, she didn't know her well enough to convince me with a living Ariel, but the apology, the love….they are all things that were easily spotted when she attacked here in Storybrooke. That's why I can't shake it; in a way it _was_ Ariel! Or at least a replica of her" she says dejectedly.

"Do you want to check on her?" he asks softly.

When Regina looks up at him, she is reminded of why she actually fell in love with him in the first place. It wasn't his love and kindness towards her, but his understanding. He never demanded any explanations from her, and he always knew what she needed. Sometimes she never had to say anything, and he would know exactly what was wrong with her and how to make it better. And looking now into his eyes, she sees it again. How he knew that what she needed was to actually _see _her daughter alive and well; and how there was not even a hint of disappointment that his presence wasn't enough to ease her mind. Maybe even a bit of need to see Ariel too; after all hearing how your daughter was killed then later fed to the sharks, even if it was just a clone, isn't easy.

She smiles softly at him, and leans up to kiss him, "Thank you!" she whispers.

They both shuffle from under the covers, and tiptoe to the room down the hall. Regina opens the door slowly, and is surprised to find only Henry sleeping inside, and on the bed no less.

"Maybe they're staying up late downstairs"' Daniel suggests.

As they approach the first floor, they hear muffled sounds coming from the bathroom. And as they walk closer to the door, Regina realizes that it's the muffled sounds of hurling and coughing, drowning in Emma's soothing voice. She picks up her pace, swings the door open, and freezes in her tracks, causing Daniel to nearly collide with her.

Ariel is bent over the toilet hurling her stomach contents, while Emma holds her hair back and rubs soothing circles on her back.

"Ariel?!" Regina and Daniel exclaim worriedly.

Emma looks up, and scoots over a bit to make room for Regina, who had rushed into the bathroom.

"Oh no, please don't tell me I woke you guys up!" Ariel grumbles, her head still hanging over the toilet.

Regina glares at her daughter, who misses it as she bends over the toilet and hurls some more. Regina kneels down next to her and takes over from Emma.

"I'll go get her some water." She exclaims, before leaving the bathroom.

Daniel goes back up and fetches a small towel, soaks it with cool water and returns to the bathroom in time to see Ariel lean back against her mother's chest, her own chest heaving. He kneels down and starts to gently rub the towel against Ariel's forehead and cheeks, "What happened?" he asks softly.

"I think I may have pushed my body too far with food; I ate too much way too soon." She pants.

Regina just rests her head against Ariel, there's a distant look in her eyes and Daniel notes the guilt swirling in them. She's stroking her hair gently, the other hand clutching Ariel's.

Emma walks in with a glass of water and hands it over to Daniel, who gives it to Ariel.

"Why are you two up? Was I this loud?" she asks apprehensively.

"If we hadn't come down here to look for the two of you, we never would have known." Daniel replies, "and besides, aren't parents supposed to take care of their kids when they get sick?" he adds.

"I'm not sick; I just need to take it easy with food." Ariel corrects, "Go back to bed; I'll be up in a minute."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Regina declares with finality, to end the argument before it even begins.

Ariel's mind is finally lucid enough to register that her mother's hold on her is not just one of comfort; it is also one of assurance. She cranes her neck so she can look at her mother, seeing the solemn expression on her mother's face, she looks back at her father, and mouths 'nightmare?' and the look on his face is validation enough for her.

She sighs, before she pulls herself off her mother's chest, and gets to her feet. Daniel is immediately standing straight, waiting to catch her if she fell, while Emma helps Regina off the floor. Ariel stands still for a few moments, to make sure she won't need to throw up again, before she smiles at her mother, "how about we talk about this on our way upstairs?" she asks softly.

Regina doesn't object, and they all head outside and towards the stairs. As soon as they're out of the bathroom, Regina puts an arm around Ariel and pulls her close to her chest. Ariel doesn't object and rests her head in the crook of Regina's arm. Daniel and Emma trade looks as they follow both women upstairs, a silent agreement that this night is far from over.

* * *

**Here's the new chapter folks, sorry for the delay! **

**Bad News; the story has about a chapter or two at the most more, before it comes to an end. I have a few ideas about One-Shots related to this story, but whether I write them or not depends on whether you guys want me to or not.**

**To Barbara Montgomery; thank you my dear. It is always nice to hear from you, and in Portuguese no less :D**

**To Metope; I knew you would like it, Emma's appetite is always entertaining.**

**To Debbie93; glad you think so dear, hope you enjoy this one too.**

**To ThiefQueen; I am afraid I am going to have to disappoint, I am a StableQueen girl all the way and I really don't see Neal and Regina together. If I ever put Neal into a story with Regina, it probably will be just a friendship, and nothing more; I'm sorry. Thank you for the honor and glad you liked the story.**

**To sweetangelmist; well I know how you feel and before I used to update daily and sometimes even twice a day, but things have been kinda crazy lately and that is just not doable anymore. And like I said, I'm afraid the story is coming to an end. I watch the show because I like the take they have on the tales, and of course for Lana. I don't think Josh is being utilized properly; he's a good actor but the writers mostly depend on his looks and I don't like that.**

**To impureevilregal; hope you enjoyed the cruise dear and I would love to see some pix :) as for the birthday party; I'm trying to come up with a one-shot chapter. If I manage to get it done and I actually like how it turns out, I'll be more than happy to post it.**

**To ArtemisAzkadelliaRika; hope that answers your question.**

**To kb5000; welcome aboard my dear and thank you.**

**To FrancisIsle; like you said I'm a StableQueen girl all the way, and sometimes HookedQueen, but none of the rest I'm afraid and that unfortunately goes for ThiefQueen; as I explained before, I really don't see them together, sorry :) glad you enjoyed the story and thank you.**

**To FiyerabaFan; as much as I appreciate the request but I'm afraid I have to decline; I might write a friendship one but not a shipping one, sorry :)**


	58. Nightmare On Mifflin Street

Regina was now sitting on the bed facing Ariel and Emma, with Daniel beside her. She was holding on to both of Ariel's hands, who was halfway sitting in her lap. Emma was sitting next to Ariel and both were gaping at Regina.

"You never told us that part." Emma remarks finally.

"I didn't think it really mattered; the death was refuted. She didn't kill Ariel, which means she didn't throw her to the sharks." Regina shrugs.

"Yeah, I think that may be the problem. We've been trying to convince you that it didn't happen, when to a certain degree it did!" Ariel says.

Regina stares at her daughter and blinks a few times, "Excuse me?!" she chokes out.

"You're not helping!" Emma hisses under her breath.

"Just bear with me!" Ariel states, "This is different than the day I was born; you saw her _trying_ to kill me, but you also saw her failing. Even all those years ago, you thought that I was born dead. And you never saw a dead body because you never looked in on that day. But this time it was different; it happened in front of you and there _was_ a body." she explains softly.

"You were shaking so hard in my arms." Regina sobs, tightening her hold on Ariel's hands, who slid a bit further into her lap. Daniel squeezed her arm reassuringly, while his other hand kept stroking her hair and rubbing circles on her back. Regina had already had a similar conversation with him about his death before they went to bed, so he knew what this was all about.

Before anyone can say anything, Regina's tearful rant continues, "You were in so much pain, and you couldn't breathe. I wanted the pain to stop but I didn't want you to die, I didn't want to lose you. I tried healing you but nothing happened. You were losing blood fast, and soon enough you went still. Nothing I did got you breathing again. You were so cold and still in my arms and I …" she trails off, screwing her eyes shut and taking in a shaky breath in the face of the flood of images flashing before her eyes.

Emma and Ariel were both stunned into silence and kept staring blankly at Regina, mouths opening and closing a few times in an effort to say something, and coming up empty every time. They both realized that Regina's problem wasn't that she still can't believe Ariel is alive; she knows that and is a 100% sure of it. Her problem is there were things left unsaid; things she felt when she thought Ariel was dead in her arms, when she thought that she just lost her daughter and for good this time. Just like the first time around, this was her reality for days and they can't just shove it all under the rug and pretend like it never happened. Not only do they need to assure her of Ariel's existence, they also need to acknowledge the feelings that she had and deal with them.

"And then the next day, she came in and just…." Regina sobs, bending her head down and tightening her hold on Ariel's hands. Her body starts shaking slightly, and her breath becomes even more ragged, as she leans into Daniel's embrace. This is more than enough to snap Ariel out of her shocked state and she moves further towards her mother, so that now she is almost in her lap, and cups her face.

"Hey, Mom look at me." She commands gently, and Regina's head slowly lifts to meet her gaze. Ariel uses the pads of her thumbs to wipe away the cascading tears, and Regina covers her hands with her own.

"I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, and I won't let anyone take me away. Not her; not Rumplestiltskin; not King George; _No one!_ She was never able to kill me; no matter how hard she tried and now she's gone, so I'm pretty sure she can't do it from beyond the grave." Ariel soothes.

"But she still took you away!" Regina retorts.

"Come again!" Emma exclaims.

"She was never able to kill Ariel, but that didn't stop her from taking her away, from _keeping _her away from me." Regina chokes out.

"She's gone, Mom. She can't kill me, nor can she take me away. I promised you before that I won't let her hurt me, and I am promising you again that I won't let anyone take me away. _Nothing _and _no one_ will keep me away again, I promise." Ariel assures her gently, "You won't lose me, Mom. I know you think that you were helpless, but it's not true. Nothing you did worked because it wasn't really me; but it _did _work when I needed you. Your love is what stopped her from killing me when I was born, and again on the island." She finishes.

Regina shifts her eyes between Ariel's, trying to find any sign that she is only telling her what she wants to hear, and finds none. She only finds love, compassion, warmth and assurance. She leans into Ariel's hand and nods slowly.

"Okay." She says faintly, offering Ariel a small, teary smile of her own when the former offers one of assurance. Ariel leans forward and throws her arms around Regina's neck, and Regina is only too happy to wrap her arms around her as well. She pulls her all the way into her lap and barriers her face in her neck and hair, taking in her scent and allowing it to give her the comfort she desperately needed.

Daniel, who had been silent throughout the entire interaction, wrapped his arm around both women, and had to bite back a wince when Regina's nails dug into his hand as her hand covered it.

"Regina, there's also something else you need to be sure of." Emma finally finds her voice, and waits till Regina and Ariel look at her before she continues, "You are not alone anymore. You don't have to keep bottling up these feelings and shoving them aside without dealing with them. You have an entire army around you, and we've all seen the worse you can do, so you're stuck with us since nothing will scare us away." she says sincerely.

Regina smiles appreciatively at her, "Thank you, Emma." she says softly.

"No need, I mean it, we all do. We won't disappear, and unless Zeus in your lap there decides to go all Hades on us in her sleep, we should remain within the land of the living." She quips, earning a tearful chuckle from Regina, a glare from Ariel and an amused smile from Daniel.

"She's right, Mom. We are all here and neither of us is going anywhere; and since I can kill with just a blink of my eye, I don't think anyone is insane enough to even _try_ to kill one of them." Ariel agrees.

"And don't forget that George is locked up, and Gold wont dare piss off Ariel." Emma adds.

Ariel turns back to her mother, "You need to get some sleep; it's been one heck of a day." She states softly, as she wipes away the remaining tears.

"Yeah, we should head to bed too!" Emma declares, and when Ariel makes a move to get off her lap, Regina stiffens slightly, which doesn't go unnoticed by Daniel or Ariel.

"Ariel, why don't you sleep here with us? Henry is already sleeping on the bed, and it's not big enough for the three of you." Daniel suggests.

Ariel is about to remind him that she can take the sleeping bag, or even move Henry but one look at her mother and she decides against it.

"I think that's a good idea, at least that way you don't hog the entire bed all night!" Emma teases.

"Hades says hello!" Ariel quips, as she moves off her mother's lap and gets under the covers.

"I love you too Zeusy!" Emma retorts, and sticks her tongue out at Ariel.

* * *

Daniel went downstairs to get some water before he joins his fiancé and daughter in bed. As he passed through the dining room to get to the kitchen, he stopped in front one of the framed photos. It was one of Ariel with Henry's arms around her neck, as he supported his entire weight on her back, with Regina smiling brightly at them both, one hand resting on Henry's back, the other on Ariel's arm. Pure joy and love were jumping out of their eyes, and he couldn't help the warm smile. They looked happy and carefree in it, unlike the two women he just left upstairs. He was silently wondering if they'll ever get there again, when a voice from behind made him jump.

"She'll get there." Emma says softly.

"You think so?" He asks tentatively.

"Yeah, I know so. She's not alone in the world anymore; and more importantly she got you back." she replies.

Daniel chuckles softly, "I still can't believe that the sweet girl upstairs holds enough power inside her to bring two people back from the dead!" he says with amazement.

"Yeah, she does, but she also has the heart to match. You and her managed to keep Regina sane in the face of everything before, and now she has all of us to help her get back to who she was before."

"She looks just like the carefree girl I fell in love with in that picture." He points to the picture he was looking at mere moments ago.

"She was happy that day, insanely happy actually. It was Ariel's birthday, the first one she was _allowed_ to celebrate, let alone get a chance to do it, so it makes sense that she would be carefree and bursting with happiness."

"When is her birthday?" he asks.

"A week after yours, Regina went a little crazy with the party." Emma chuckles at the memory.

"She did?" he asks intrigued, sitting down, thoughts of water and thirst evaporating from his mind.

"Yeah, she invited almost everyone in town, refused to buy a cake, stayed up all night baking it, and she wanted to bake brownies and make ice cream, but Mom told her she'll take care of it and that she should get some sleep, made an endless supply of apple cider, and decorated the house and garden. It took her the entire week for everything to be exactly like she wanted it to be." She recounts, "Needless to say she nearly slept for two days after it was over!" she finishes with a soft chuckle.

"Sounds like her efforts paid off." He remarks.

"Are you kidding? It was a great party, took our minds off of things and we all just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves." She agrees, "Which is why I'm saying that she'll get there again; may take some time but it'll happen."

"Cora hadn't kidnapped her and tortured her for two weeks last time." Daniel counters.

"No, she had been doing it speriodically throughout her entire life! She killed you in front of her and took Ariel away! Henry nearly died at her hands, and she had to kill you herself!" Emma shoots back.

"She hadn't killed Ariel in her arms!" he points out.

"But she still believed her to be dead nonetheless. I'm not saying it'll be easy, I'm saying it's possible, I'm saying it _will_ happen. She had all of us around her the first time; and now you and her father are added to the mix. We'll get her back; we just have to make sure she deals with things and not shove them aside, or bury them inside."

* * *

Daniel tiptoed back to the room after wishing Emma a good night sleep, and opened the door softly. He was expecting to find Regina fast asleep with Ariel in her arms, but only found Ariel curled up and fast asleep in her mother's arms, who had her arms wrapped tightly around her, one hand absent mindedly stroking her hair, as her eyes stared at a spot on the covers. When Regina didn't budge from her position and showed no signs that she knew he was there, he decided to stand for a few moments and take in the sight before him.

Ever since he acknowledged his feelings for Regina, he had dreamed of the life he wished to have with her. He always dreamed that he would just stand there and watch her interact with her children, especially as she puts them to sleep. He always thought that they were nothing more than wishful thinking; far-fetched dreams that will never come true. And even though he had dreamed of the child being a lot younger, the dream did come true. Regina was lying in bed with their daughter in her arms, gently stroking her hair as the latter drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Regina shifts her head slightly so it can rest more comfortably on top of Ariel's, and catches sight of a wistfully smiling Daniel in the doorway. She smiles softly at him, and he can't help but grin broadly at her, as he makes his way over to the bed.

"I thought you'd be fast asleep by now!" he whispers.

"I was waiting for you" she says softly.

He leans over and presses a soft kiss to her lips, one that she is more than happy to return.

"We should get some sleep, it's been a tiring day, and we have no idea if she'll wake up to throw up again anytime soon. Stomach sickness doesn't go away over night!" he states, as he gets comfortable under the covers, mindful not wake Ariel up.

"She's not sick, she's just exhausted. She's been using far too much magic, that it finally took its toll on her body." Regina explains softly.

"Well, then she needs the rest as much as we do. Sweet dreams, sweetheart." He whispers softly.

"You too." She yawns, before resting her head on top of Ariel's once more, her arm resting over Daniel's side, while his wrapped around both of them, as they drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

* * *

**I am terribly sorry for the horrendously long wait, but getting sick when you cant take time off from work, and having a wedding to getT ready for, leaves no time for breathing let alone writing. **

**The next chapter will probably be the last, and I will try to get it in sometime this week. One shots related to this story will probably soon follow the ending of the story, since you all seemed keen on it.**

**To kb5000; I'm sorry sweetie, but I am afraid it has gone a full circle. Welcome aboard, and hopefully you'll enjoy the one shots as much as you enjoyed this story :)**

**To Mari; that's the plan sweetie, it's one of the one shots, but I'm still working on it :)**

**To Metope; thanks for the faith hun :) hope I can live up to it 3 glad you liked it.**

**To NCISGleek; sorry for the long wait and that it is ending :) as for Eva, Ariel was able to bring Daniel and Henry Sr. back because not only did Cora kill or lead to their death, but she did it with magic. But with Eva, she used poison, just like Regina did with Leopold. Thank you for the suggestion, I always welcome them, and if I can put them in the story I do. One shots will soon follow the last chapter and I would love to know what you think of it.**

**To Debbie93; everything has to come to an end at some point :) I cant keep adding chapters forever, but since you all agree that I should write those one shots, they'll soon follow the end of the story.**

**To sweetangelmist; I agree with what you said. If Snow had just crushed Cora's heart I would have rooted her on, but using Regina like that is sick. Especially that she played on the insecurities of the little girl desperate to have someone love her. **

**To impureevilregal; glad you had fun on the cruise hun :)**

**To Gizela; buckle up this is gonna take a while :P**

Hurry up - I'm still in trauma after latest ep. **As do the rest of us! **

Oh I don't know, someone in the mirror I guess;)** Sydney?! ;) :P**

If being daddy's girl means sleeping in the same bed, then nope, I won't, thank you very much ;P **good thing i'm the author then :P**

Depends on your definition of the rainbow ;) **where blue birds fly? ;)**

You're too generous ;P **oh i know :P****  
**

You know that flatterning takes you nowhere, don't you? ;) **it will get me the 30 something reviews :P**

I'm with you on that one! ;) **and we're back to 50 shades again ;)**

Mission impossible ;P **cant blame a girl for dreaming :P**

Be careful ;P **is that a threat dearie? :P**

How did you guess? ;) **took me a while, with you being all subtle about it :P**

You can't - haven't squeaked yet:P **you have in my head :P**

Sorry to disappoint ;) **oh hallelujah :P**

IF I go back ;) **WHEN ;P**

God help me, another one who thinks too much :P They all need a proper wall therepy! XD **says the queen of over-thinking ;P**

Oh? And let me guess, Regina is right behind you and listening? ;) **nop, thought about doing it, but decided to give father and daughter some alone time ;)**

I would normally say 'Hell, YESS!" - but not after the latest ep!:/ **well i sure as hell wouldnt do it like THAT :/**

Exactly THIS! You FINALLY hit the nail in the head! **I always hit the nail on the head :D *smiling modestly* ****  
**

Tell her to her head :P **more like her heart ;P**

Again, couldn't agree more. **why thank you mi'lady :) *bows***

Oh dear. You're the best thing that happened to her. Well, except Ariel, of course. **couldn't agree more :)**

The barn's roof had to be full of holes ;) **barn door was open babe :P**

Ohh so she hasn't been there? Disappointed. com ;) **sorry hun :)**

Too short actually ;) **LOL! wasn't it you who wanted Daniel and Ariel to have some alone time before bed? :P**

LMAO, gotta love Emma.. in this fic! ;P **oh come now, she's the savior :****p and the product of true love and all that is good and pure :P**

Ok, now to chap. 57 *sighs dramatically* ;) **your fault not mine :P**

WE do want. XD And yes, I love pluralis maiestatis lol! **your wish is my command :)**

Buy a bigger house? ;) **that would be nice ;) **

Hahaha! What about Emma? ;) **probably live with her parents ;) no point in buying a house :D**

Well the last part is still debatable, I'm afraid ;P **ROFL! true that :D**

Not yet, dear ;) **what on earth are you implying my dear? ;) **

Be worried! Be VERY worried! XD **unless he turns out to be like Cora, I think he's safe :D**

Hahha THAT for sure! XD **thanks to genetics :D**

Quiet? Is that what they call it now? ;) **look who is finally agreeing with prince charming :P**

Isn't she amazing? ;) **oh that's an understatement :D**

Actually, I won't object ;P **knew you wouldnt ;)**

With whom, Sneezy or David? **David.**

Oh Christ. The worst nightmare ever. **I know :(**

Go and check on her. And maybe have a nice session with the mirror, just to be on the safe side ;) **you read her mind, but no mirror i'm afraid :D**

Huh? I thought our dear author had said that she exactly made someone look like Ariel:S **I did? I dont remember saying that :S**

Didn't I just say that ? ;) **it appears he heard you ;)**

Of course, having stomach issues isn't being sick. At all ;) **well it's not really sickness if you cant cure it ;P**

**To ****AndromedaEBlack; welcome aboard, and I am very glad that you liked the story and humbled by your compliments. This story has given me much pleasure to write and it makes me happy that it received such high appraise. I will work on the one shots as soon as the story ends, and I hope you enjoy them too :)**

**To Barbara Montgomery; it's alright hun, life can get hectic :), the nightmare gave me goosebumps too :) as for the 100 chapters, I'm afraid not, 59 or 60 are as far as I'll go :) but you were the first to predict the 60 chapters so congrats hun, you got your wish :D **


	59. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

Daniel was never the one to have a luxurious life. His father was a stable boy, and his father before him. It was a family occupation, passed down from father to son. He usually slept on mattresses made of hay, or just hay that was arranged on the floor to shield him from the cold. He always woke up with a sore back and neck, the severity of it was determined by how thick the hay was, but they were always present nonetheless. So when his mind started to come to, and let go of the sleep fog; the first thing he noticed was that he was not sore. He was comfortable and relaxed; and when he snuggled more into the warmth of the mattress, his body didn't complain from the sudden movement. His eyes flew open in panic, his head flying off the pillow but he didn't jump out of bed, so as to not wake Regina up. His sleepy mind had wondered off to the nights when Cora and Henry would be traveling and he would sneak into Regina's bedroom and sleep next to her, and more often than not have her cry herself to sleep in his arms. The sun was drifting through, which means the maids may come in any second and find him. But at the sight before him, he calmed down immediately and couldn't help the happy, wistful smile. The events of the day before came rushing back, and he rested his head back onto the pillow.

Ariel and Regina were still peacefully asleep, with Ariel on her stomach and both arms tucked under the pillow and Regina with one arm around Ariel, as she sleeps on her side. The exhaustion was still easily detected on Ariel's face, and her face was slightly pale. But the way she was snuggled up in her pillow under the covers made her look so young and vulnerable, and he couldn't stop himself from reaching over and brushing a few strands of hair off her face and gently tuck them behind her ear. He had always wanted a child- with Regina- but he never thought it'll happen. And even though it's not exactly how he dreamt of it, but at least it was real and not a dream. His fiancée and daughter were sleeping peacefully right next to him.

_Peacefully…_ that word seemed to have a weird ring in his ear. Never in the time that he spent with Regina, had he seen her look so peaceful in her sleep. Even when she would sleep in the shed with him, or when he would sneak into her room and sleep in her bed; even when they would go to firefly hill and just lie on the grass talking. She always seemed genuinely happy to be with him, and the love she felt for him was easily detected, but the worry and fear were always there. The worry that her mother might find out about them, that she might not like something that she did and punish her, that she might do this or say that. He was never able to take it away, and it always pained him to see, but he never showed. He wanted to stay strong for her sake. But now all of his dreams and wishes upon shooting stars became reality; he had the family he always dreamed of, Regina didn't have to worry about her mother anymore, and she was now sleeping peacefully and nightmare-free with their daughter in her arms. Said daughter was the key to all of this, she was the one to bring about her mother's happiness, not to mention bring him back from the afterlife.

He had no idea how long he stayed like this, watching the two of them sleep and lost in his own thoughts, when Regina's eyes fluttered open, and looked sleepily at him. His face broke into a smile, and she offered him a half-asleep one in return.

Regina woke up to the feeling of being watched, her eyes fluttered open and her heart skipped a beat when she found herself staring into the same blue eyes she thought were lost so long ago. Daniel was propped up on one elbow, and smiling down at her, as the other hand played with one of Ariel's long ebony locks. She had always dreamt of this, and on some nights when her mind wasn't completely awake yet, she would imagine him in the early morning light. Only for him to fade away, the more lucid she became, until she finds herself alone in the bed once more.

His face broke into a smile, and she was only able to offer a half-sleepy one.

"Morning, gorgeous" he whispers softly, leaning over their sleeping daughter and giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Morning" she mumbles sleepily, once they break apart.

"Sleep well?" he asks.

"Better than I have in years!" she declares gently, as she moves to get up, only to freeze mid-move when Ariel stirs and moves onto her side, slides one arm around her waist, and rubs her face a couple of times into her chest, before she calms down once more.

Regina smiles softly at her, bends over and presses a soft kiss to the side of her head, as she smooths her hair back, and pulls herself up a bit, so that she is propped up on one elbow on her side, with her head resting on her hand.

"Any more nightmares?"

"No, I guess talking about what it really felt like helped. It's like she said, I was trying to convince myself that it didn't happen, when it did. It may not have been her, but it still happened nonetheless."

"And sleeping without her last night didn't help."

"Well, I still had them before with her sleeping in my arms and all, but usually she would snuggle into me in her sleep and that would calm me. And it was always the one where my mother stabbed her, so after the first couple of nights, I knew how to ride them through. But the one about the sharks was new; I've never had it before, because I never actually saw it. But knowing that they had another head to head in Wonderland; that she had Ariel pinned against the side of that cottage just…." She trails off.

"Hey, it wasn't easy. But she's fine now, she is in desperate need for rest, but she's right here." He reassures her.

"I know" she whispers softly, and right on cue, Ariel tightens her hold on her and snuggles more into her.

"It's as if she knows you need it"

"She always knew when I was upset and in need of a snuggle or a soft kick" she remarks.

"I thought you told Emma she was a quiet baby" she remarks.

"She was, she only kicked when I needed it; on stormy nights, or after a fight with my mother. And it was always a soft kick, not one that would leave me in pain. Usually where I had my hand lying on my stomach, she hardly ever kicked my kidneys or any other organ." She reminisces.

"When did you find out you were pregnant?" he asks.

"About a week after you died, I had suspected it about a week before you did, but wanted to wait to be sure before I tell you. If only I knew that I would never get the chance to tell you, let alone hold her. I told my parents about a week after" she recounts.

"How did they take it?"

"Cora was livid, wanted me to abort the baby but I would have been damned if I let her kill the baby too. Daddy was actually happy, it was his idea that we pretend that she was an abandoned child so that I get to watch her grow up." she replies.

"Why didn't you pretend that she was the King's?" he asks.

"I was too far along for it to work. I was already 6 weeks along, and the wedding was still a week away. Not to mention that he hadn't even touched me yet."

"Couldn't your mother have done something to mask it?"

"Triton and Athena did mention something like this to Ariel, but they said the baby has to be less than three month of age, I don't know if it works on unborn infants, let alone if my mother knew about it."

"Why were they telling her about it?" he asks, confused.

"When they told her she was mine; they told her they thought about doing it, so that I can have her back, but she was already closing in on 5 months." She explains.

"Why would they need to mask her age? Why wouldn't they just tell you the truth?"

"Because Leopold would not have been alright with the fact that not only did I have a premarital affair, but that it also resulted in a child, let alone that I want to raise said child, when I am the queen" she starts, before she recounts the events of the day Ariel found out she was hers.

"That's a lot of responsibility to throw onto the shoulders of a 10 year old." Daniel remarks, absent mindedly moving closer to Ariel, effectively trapping her between his body and Regina's.

"Yeah, I know. She was always the one protecting me, reminding me that I wasn't alone, that I had her, until one day she was gone." Regina states, choking on the last two words, as a few tears fell from her eyes. She bends over and presses a soft kiss to Ariel's head, as she tightens her arms around her. Daniel takes a hold of her hand and rubs his thumb over the back of it comfortingly.

"When the first contraction hit me, I thought something was wrong with her; it wasn't until my water broke that I finally realized what is happening. They kept getting closer together and more painful, but I kept reminding myself that at the end, it'll all be more than worth it when I have her in my arms. But that moment never came; and the pain that I felt that day was nothing compared to the pain that followed." She recounts, with her head resting on top of Ariel's, "All I had left was the pregnancy memories; her first kick; how she used to move more whenever I'm in the stables; the soft kicks she gave me whenever I argued with Cora"

"When did she first kick?" Daniel asks.

"I was about 4 months along; it was a stormy night and I was lying in bed unable to sleep. I was absent mindedly rubbing my stomach when I felt her kick; I jerked at first and almost panicked, thinking that something was wrong with her, but when she kicked again I knew she was perfect.; my beautiful, perfect baby girl, and I started counting the days till she's born, so that I can hold her and look at her. If only I knew that the day she's born will also be the day I lose her."

Ariel chooses that moment to stir in her sleep, turns on her back and lazily opens her eyes. Daniel and Regina both smile softly at her and Regina rubs her side in an attempt to help her wake up.

"Morning sunshine" she says softly, past the lump in her throat.

Ariel groans in response, pulls the covers over her head and buries her face in her mother's body once more, "it is far too early for it to be morning!" she grumbles.

Regina laughs at her daughter, "It's almost 10 sleepy head!"

Ariel pushes the covers off her face, and halfway turns onto her back and furrows her eyebrows in confusion and concentration alike.

"How come everybody's still asleep?" she asks.

"They're exhausted sweetheart, they all need their rest." Regina replies, as she smooths the stray hairs back into place, "and besides, you just woke up yourself" she teases.

"I brought two people back from the dead, and Emma was up half the night holding my hair back as I threw up! What's their excuse?!" she grumbles.

"Wait, that wasn't the only time?!" Daniel asks worriedly.

"No, 3rd time I think."

"Then why did you think that you woke us up?" Regina asks.

"Because the first couple of times, we were downstairs talking, so I just ran to the bathroom; but the last time we had already made our way to the room, before I bolted down again. So I thought the commotion woke you guys up."

"So if I hadn't had that nightmare, you wouldn't have said anything!" Regina states.

"Kind of, there is really no point in worrying you." Ariel replies cheekily and Regina glares. Before she gets a chance to say something; Ariel furrows her brows, "Mom, what's wrong?" she asks, suddenly very worried.

Regina opens her mouth to reply, "Don't even think about saying nothing, I can tell when you've been crying! What happened?" Ariel demands a bit more forcefully, and Regina just stares at her, trying to swallow the lump in her throat and talk without crying.

"We were talking about the day you were born" Daniel decides to answer for her.

Ariel pulls herself into a sitting position, and rests her head against her mother's chest, "I'm right here, Mom."

Before Regina could respond; the phone rings and she jumps at the set placed on her bed-side table before the rings wake anybody else up, one arms still tightly wrapped around Ariel.

"Hello" she says into the phone, "Oh, Hello August."

Ariel furrows her eyes in confusion when her sensitive wolf ears picks up something.

"Yeah, she's right here." Regina says, before handing the phone to Ariel.

"Hello"

"_Ariel"_ a voice says into the phone, and Ariel is stunned into silence.

She removes the phone from her ear, and looks at it for a few seconds before she places it back onto her ear.

"_Ariel"_ the voice calls again, and after she blinks a few times, she finally finds her voice.

"M…m…mom?!" she stutters.

"Mom?!" Regina repeats, clearly baffled.

"_Oh__ sweetie; this is fascinating! It's as if you are right here!" _Athena rants.

"Mom, this isn't fascinating, the fact that you're in Storybrooke is!" Ariel chuckles into the phone.

"_The voice is so clear, no noises, or anything!_" she continues on, completely ignoring her daughter.

"Mom!" Ariel tries to call her.

"_Athena, forget about how fascinating this is, and concentrate!_" Ariel hears her father's voice in the background.

"Yes, listen to your husband. Forget about the phone and focus!" Ariel tries again, only to fail again.

"_I thought this world had no magic!" _

"MOMMY!" Ariel yells this time.

"_Yes baby?!"_ Athena finally pays attention to her daughter.

"Seriously, that's still….you know what, never mind. I'm on my way." Ariel states, before hanging up and shuffling from under the covers.

Daniel and Regina had been watching the entire conversation, completely in the dark as to what is happening.

"Sweetie, care to elaborate?" Regina questions, following Ariel out of bed and into the closet.

"Somehow, they're at the beach!"

* * *

Regina pulls up on the beach, and spots August standing in the distance talking to two mer-folks. She had seen Triton and Athena in the mirror but never actually met them in person. Ariel left her shoes in the car, and bolted towards her parents, splashing a bit into the shallow waters before wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, squealing 'Mommy' as she did. Triton wordlessly wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter, kissing Ariel softly on the head as he did. And in that moment, Regina felt the same fear of losing Ariel once more bubble up to the surface; after all, she is asking Emma not to take Henry away, and asking the same thing of Athena. She and Daniel approach the small group slowly.

Triton, who was resting his head on top of Ariel's, opened his eyes at the moment and spotted the duo coming their way. His eyes widened slightly when he recognized Daniel, and he lifted his head without taking his eyes off of him or even blinking.

"Ah, Ariel! Do you have something to tell us?" he asks incredulously, and that gets Athena to let go of Ariel slightly so she can look, and then she jolts back from Ariel's hold, but keeps her arms around Ariel.

"Darling!" she calls.

"Oh yeah, he's back!" Ariel replies cheekily, and Regina and Daniel chuckle.

"You don't say!" Triton retorts.

"More like, _you_ brought them back!" August throws in.

"_Her!" _and "_them?"_ were heard from Triton and Athena simultaneously.

"Daniel and my father" Regina answers softly.

"You can bring back the dead!" Athena almost squeaks.

"NO! I can reverse Cora's magic" she clarifies, before she proceeds to explain the events of the previous day.

"I would pay big money to see the reactions on your faces, especially Emma's!" August remarks, causing the rest to chuckle.

"Ah man, I missed that! I'm the one who brought them back, and I am not even awake to watch the reactions." Ariel pouts.

"Well, it is a pleasure to finally meet the two of you" Triton declares, shaking hands with Daniel and Regina.

"The pleasure is ours" Regina replies.

"Well that explains the dead man walking, can we please explain them?" August interrupts.

"Well, don't ask us, we found an open portal in the middle of the throne room, and I knew that it was her magic, so we went through" Triton explains.

"I think I was dreaming about Atlantica, and my inner desires decided to open a portal." Ariel explains.

"You can use magic in your sleep?" Athena inquires.

"Apparently; I mean I missed you guys, but my body was still too exhausted from the magic, and I was worried about opening portals, wasn't sure of how precise I can be, so I guess it costs less energy when I do it in my sleep! But I really need to get the hang of it!" Ariel replies.

"When did you get it?" Athena asks again.

"She always had it!" Triton-who had been lost in thought through it all- dead pans.

"Excuse me?!" Athena and Regina both exclaim at the same time.

"Well, there was this creature that used to appear in the sea when she was about 3 or 4 and no one was able to capture it, and I myself never managed to even find it. Come to think of it, it had an eerie resemblance to Mr. Whiskers and it only appeared when you were asleep!" he explains.

"Mr. Whiskers?" August wonders, amused.

"Imaginary childhood pet!" Athena explains, "You never told me about it"

"I didn't want to worry you, and after a while the sightings stopped so I assumed it died or something; little did I know that it was all _your _doing" he glares playfully at Ariel, who smiles cheekily at him, "Sorry".

August opens his mouth to say something, "Don't you even dare think about it!" Ariel warns and he wisely shits up.

"Well sweetie, we miss you too but you don't have to open portals in your sleep, you are more than welcome to come any time." Athena exclaims.

"I know that, Mom, but things have been kinda crazy." Ariel apologizes, hugging her mother.

August scoffs, "understatement of the century"

Triton, who had been watching Regina since her arrival, noted the way she was looking at Ariel and the slight fear and pain in her eyes.

"We're not going to steal her, Regina. We always knew this day will come, and we also know that we can come up with a plan that will satisfy both parties." Triton remarks suddenly, and Regina whips her head around to meet his gaze.

"I wouldn't dream of asking you to give her up; she's as much your daughter as she is mine." Regina exclaims.

"Yes, but you never wanted to give her up and besides we had her for the past 50 years, so it's only fair that you get her to yourself for a few months, before we start sharing." Triton exclaims softly.

"Dad, you're making me sound so old!" Ariel mumbles.

"More importantly; you're making us sound so old!" Athena declares seriously, playfully glaring at her husband, and moving her finger between Regina and herself.

"Maybe it's a good thing that your room is still empty, looks like I'll need it tonight!" Triton quips as he pulls Ariel towards him.

"August, how did you find them?" Daniel asks.

"Well, I was jogging and I saw the portal open and the two of them coming out of it." August replies.

"What happened to the patrols?" Regina inquires.

"They're not needed anymore; Ariel created a visible shield where the border is in the water; and Cora is no longer a threat, and with Rumple making sure that George stays where he is, and that the shield remains in place, we only have them on the borders and the mines now." he replies.

"Why would Rumple be making sure that the shield is in place? Why wouldn't it be?" Ariel asks, baffled.

August suddenly seems like a fish out of the water, "Uuuuh, didn't David tell you?" he stammers.

"Tell us what?" Regina demands.

August is silent for a while, "two days after you guys got back, somehow George managed to make it up to the library" he starts his tale, and Regina and Ariel's faces go ashen.

"Luckily, neither Aurora nor Belle was there, and he had barely made it into the streets before Henry…" he was interrupted by Regina and Ariel shrieking, "HENRY!"

"Calm down, he was with Ruby. They both spotted him, and Ruby immediately turned into a wolf and pinned him down, while Henry called Rumple. He put him back into the cave and placed the shield once more."

"I half expected him to kill him" Ariel dead pans.

"He nearly did; if it wasn't for Belle" August informs her.

"How did he break through the shield in the first place?!" Regina asks once more.

"Apparently since both you and Ariel were either in a coma or had your minds elsewhere, not to mention weaker than usual, it weakened the shield and he was able to move past it. Rumple says it wouldn't normally happen, but with magic being unpredictable here, I guess it faltered."

"Why was he locked up in the first place?" Athena inquires.

"Rumplestiltskin messed something up with the curse when he created it, that now whenever anybody crosses the border of the town; they revert back to their cursed identities." Regina explains.

"We have patrols on the border, mines and forest to make sure that no one crosses by mistake; but we forgot the water crosses the border. We had people watching the beach, but not near the border; we had the lookout to make sure Cora doesn't use it as a portal. Apparently he knew about it and decided to use it to his advantage; he kidnapped Snow and Henry and put them on a boat, and sabotaged all the other ones to make sure no one can follow them." August continued.

"Couldn't you get another set of oars and use them?" Triton asks.

"Boats work a little differently here; oars wouldn't have made any difference." Regina replies.

"But Henry was never affected by the curse, and George was; if he had crossed the border with them he would have reverted just like Snow." Athena states.

"True; which is why he gave Henry a potion to bend his will and made him drive the boat towards the border with Snow tied up in it." Ariel informs her.

"Snow forgot everything?!" Daniel asks in horror.

"No, we got to them in time." Regina replies.

"How? The boats were useless" Triton inquires.

"I was told I can swim like a fish" Ariel quips, smiling cheekily at her father's playful glare.

"You turned?" Daniel asks.

"Yeah, it was the only way to get to them. Snow jumped into the water and I broke the spell on Henry before we jumped too. We put him in the cave beneath the library and sealed all ways with magic, but apparently it faltered." Ariel answers.

"Didn't anyone find a way to break the spell or at least restore the memories?" Athena asks.

"Break the spell, no. But I was able to restore the memories; but I still hadn't at the time. I made sure I had it figured out after that incident just in case." Ariel replies.

"So he's in the cave now?" Daniel seeks confirmation.

"Yeah, and Rumple makes sure it's still strong every few days; and since the original shield wasn't completely gone when they escaped, and since Regina and Ariel are back to normal again; it's back up again, so now there are two shields." August explains.

"Yeah, but we can't keep them there forever!" Regina exclaims.

"You can bring him over to the Enchanted Forest" Triton suggests.

"Since Henry decided that it will be used as our vacation getaway; I don't think that'll work." Regina retorts.

"Not if you trap him on the island." Athena thinks out loud.

"It's partially connected to the main forest; he can still get out." Ariel objects.

"Not if I destroy that part and completely isolate the land; he'll be trapped there – like a jail- and he can't even escape through the water, or else he'll become shark food." Triton offers, and furrows his eyebrows when Regina's face pales slightly, and she looks a bit too frantically at Ariel, who walks over to her and rubs her arms comfortingly.

"I'm right here" she says softly, and all Regina can do is nod and smile.

"What's going on?" Athena inquires.

"Well, the reason why Mom refused to wake up even after she was healed was because Cora had made her believe that I died." Ariel replies, and both Athena and Triton gasp.

"What?! How?!" Triton asks, horrified.

"She created a fake me, or used one of the bodies while she controlled their hearts and made them look like me, we don't know; but then she stabbed 'me' and left to bleed in Mom's arms." Ariel recounts, wrapping her arms around Regina and resting her head against her temple, while Daniel rubs circles on her back.

"Oh my God" Triton exclaims.

Ariel smiles softly at them, "Yeah, and then she came in the next day, took the body away and told Mom she threw it to the sharks."

Triton, Athena and August are all now gaping at Ariel and Regina who still has her eyes screwed shut.

"Wow, and here we thought _you_ were the Evil Queen." August comments.

"Well you hadn't met Cora!" Daniel remarks.

"Regina, I am so sorry, I had no idea" Triton apologizes.

"No sorry needed, you didn't know." she assures him.

"But this never happened, right? You were here in Storybrooke?" Athena seeks confirmation.

"Mom, I landed in Atlantica when I came and I landed in your arms. Not only was I here; I was with David and nowhere near any portals or Cora." Ariel assures her.

"Okay good and there's no way she can come back the way they did?!" Triton asks.

"Nop, I can't generally bring back the dead, and the entire ocean would have to go up in flames before I want to bring her back; so no, she's gone and for good this time."

"Good to know, and as much as I hate to; but we should get back before Sebastian sends out search parties" Athena remarks.

"Sebastian?" August repeats.

"Yes, but he's not a Jamaican red crab, who sings and tries to escape the cooking pan" Ariel exclaims.

"Excuse me?!" Triton wonders.

"This world's version of our lives; it's quite entertaining actually. Anyways, in the version of my life, Sebastian is a red crab"

"Wait, what is he then?" August asks.

"A killer whale!" Ariel dead pans, and giggles at his shocked expression.

"Can't wait to rub it in." Athena remarks.

"No, come on I wanna do it." Ariel pouts.

"Sweetie, I don't think I can keep it in" Athena exclaims.

"Come on, Mommy, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaase" she pouts, using her baby voice.

"Sure baby" Athena says softly.

"Still gets her!" Triton remarks.

"Every single time" Ariel agrees, "works on this one too" she adds, rubbing Regina's arm and smiling cheekily at her.

"Well, don't be a stranger sweetheart. Take all the time you need with your father and you know where to find us." Athena steers the conversation back.

"I won't, Mom. I love you so much." Ariel, who is now in Athena's arms, mumbles into her hair, choking on the last two letters.

"I love you too baby, more than anything." Athena whispers softly.

"Take care sweetheart, and no more using magic in your sleep; get some proper rest." Triton orders.

"Yes, Daddy" she mumbles into his neck, as he holds her tight.

"Daniel, welcome back and pleased to have finally met you." Athena says, holding her hand out to him.

"Thank you and the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for everything." He replies.

"Regina, glad to see you're alright and sorry we kept her from you. It just seemed like the better option." She turns to Regina.

"You did what was best for her and you were right; Leopold would have never let me raise her and I wouldn't have been able to survive losing her once more, and she would have gotten hurt in the process as well. You protected her and for that I am truly grateful. Thank you for taking care of her and thank you for all your help in the rescue; I know they wouldn't have been able to do it without it." Regina says back.

"It was our pleasure; we wish we could have done more, and a bit sooner too."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to; I can't be responsible if Ariel lost either of you because of me."

Both women hug, as Daniel and Triton shake hands; before Athena shakes Daniel's hand and Triton shakes Regina's. They both shake hands with August, before he steps back away from the water, along with Regina and Daniel. Ariel remains in the water, and they see the water pulling from under her feet, and forming a vortex about two feet ahead. The water vortex swirls for a while, before it turns bright blue; Triton and Athena give their daughter one last hug and kiss, before they both enter the vortex. As soon as they disappear inside it, it closes and the sea returns to normal.

Ariel walks out of the water and into her parents' arms, and they both wordlessly wrap their arms around her.

* * *

**I know that this was supposed to be the last chapter, but it got too long and I decided to end it at an even 60, so the next chapter IS the last one. It is almost done, and how fast it is posted depends on how fast I get the reviews.**

**I hope everyone had a lovely spring break and is hating the hiatus as much as I do :D**

**To Barbara Montgomery; no need for tears yet sweetie and the one shots should be up soon after the ending :D **

**To Gizela; **

Oh I don't know, someone in the mirror I guess;) Sydney?! ;) :P"  
He IS a mirror ;P **keen powers of observation :P**

"If being daddy's girl means sleeping in the same bed, then nope, I won't, thank you very much ;P good thing i'm the author then :P"  
*sighs dramatically* **I always get what I want dearie *smiles devilishly* **

"Depends on your definition of the rainbow ;) where blue birds fly? ;)"  
Possibly, depends on what you take to see them;) Unless.. you get me a visa ;) **Egypt doesnt really need one ;)**

Wishful thinking ;) **more like demanding! :P**

"and we're back to 50 shades again ;)"  
...which I still haven't read :P **it ruined the words 'vanilla' and 'red' for all of eternity for me :D"and we're back to 50 shades again ;)"  
...which I still haven't read :P**

*Daggers in eyes* ;) **that supposed to scare me :P**

Have overactive imagination, do we? ;) **wrote this story with it babe ;) and if you insult it, it might not write those one shots :P**

You of course meant a LOGICAL thinking, didn't you? ;P **riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...uhuh ;P**

Instead of bed actually ;P **cant win with you can I? ;P**

You mean the product of 2 idiots? ;P **oh that too, and it appears that some things ARE genetic ;)**

They may need a nursery soon.. ;) **no they wont ;P**

Not yet, dear ;) what on earth are you implying my dear? ;)"  
Hmm let me think.. A white dress, a morning suit, gold rings, flowers.. ring any bells? ;) **nop! you're gonna have to be more specific :P**

"well it's not really sickness if you cant cure it ;P"  
HGCJKVBK! EXCUSE ME, you said she's not preggers! O.O **she's not! she's exhausted! you cant heal THAT with magic!**

She didn't kill Ariel, which means she didn't throw her to the sharks.""  
She did in your head. **touche' **

Oh my poor baby :'( **I guess we'll be saying that ALOT when she's tortured :/**

Deffo not. But first of all, she NEEDS to change the image of it in her head. **working on it :D**

We'll see about it ;P **you really like seeing the poor woman in pain dont you? ;p**

Poor boy:P But you know, being alive may be painful ;) **true :D**

Yeah, me either ;P **oosh lady! would you prefer the poor woman remains without him? ;P**

I don't think she ever was carefree.. Not with the mommy dearest around. **as carefree as it gets **

Nice bidding! ;) **going once...going twice...SOLD to the dead man walking ;)**

Poor her, the girl is literally voming with magic lol! ;) **exactly ;) knew you'd appreciate it ;P**

Ok, so where is my MORE aka FINAL CHAP? *sobs hysterically already* ;) **one more babe **

**To Jason; welcome back sweetie, and I hope your grandmother is better now. No worries dear, Ariel is perfect and Regina will let people in and slowly let go of the disturbing images :)**


	60. My Happy Ending

Regina still had her arms wrapped around Ariel, while August and Daniel observed the moment silently. Ariel had silent tears making their way down her cheeks, and Regina offered her the comfort she knew she needed. She knew it was as hard for her to watch Athena and Triton leave, as it is if it were her or Daniel. So she just let her have a moment of silent comfort and assurance, while Daniel rubbed small circles on her back.

Ariel finally lifted her head off of Regina's chest, but kept her arms wrapped around her waist, "Now that you have their almost written promise that they won't kidnap me and keep me in Atlantica till the end of time; and Emma already made it perfectly clear that she can't live without your cooking" she says softly, and smiles slightly when Regina's soft chuckle, grows into a lighthearted laughter, along with Daniel and August, "You might wanna get used to the fact that we are here to stay and that you can't get rid of us" she finishes softly.

Regina offers her a small smile as she puts some stray hairs behind her ear, "It'll take some time; I've never had so many people around me, and it's great but also terrifying. I have so much to lose now."

Ariel opens her mouth to retort, only to be interrupted by August, "You need to stop assuming and expecting the worse to happen; yes you have so much to lose now, but they also happen to be insanely stubborn people who will fight like hell to make sure they get their way. Cora is no longer a threat; same for George and Rumple wouldn't even dare do anything, unless he wants to risk losing Belle. I know it will take time, but just remember how stubborn they are and you should be fine."

"I'm not entirely sure if that's a compliment or an insult!" Ariel says, amused.

"Since you can drown me where I stand, I think I'll go with compliment" August quips, wiggling his eyebrows at Ariel's narrowed eyes.

Ariel turns her head back to her mother, and uses her thumb to wipe away the single tear rolling down her cheek, before pressing a kiss to her cheek –one which Regina leaned into and tightened her already wrapped arms around Ariel- and hugging her.

"Let's go home" Daniel whispers softly.

"That's actually a very good idea, cause I'm freezing!" Ariel grumbles as she pulls back from the hug.

Regina face paled slightly at her daughter's words; Ariel lived in the sea her entire life and she highly doubted they got sick there; and sick is how people develop immunity; so if she never got sick before a common cold could be very dangerous. She made a mental note to drag her to Whale to see what he can do about that, and to get some vaccinations in her too.

"Well, looks like I'll be breaking the speed limit today!" Regina remarks, as she pushes Ariel in the direction of the car.

"Why don't you smoke out of here and I'll drop the car off?" August suggests, feeling sorry for Ariel, whose teeth was starting to click together; after all she was soaking wet up to her thighs.

Regina looks hesitant for a moment, "I jogged all the way here, so I'll drop the car off and have you smoke me ba…" he was interrupted by Ariel's sneeze.

That did it for Regina; she gave him the keys, grabbed Daniel's arm and smoked all three out of there.

* * *

David liked order and routine; he liked it when life went by smoothly, when there are things that you can always count on in life. For example; he knew Snow loved him no matter what; he knew that Cora was gone and they can finally live in peace; same for the Evil Queen. Even in Storybrooke; and during the curse there were still things that he counted on. His work in the animal shelter; meeting Mary Margret; and so on. After the curse broke; he learned to count on Regina trying to get her son back; and then the town trying to get even with Regina; the daily routine of looking into the mirror on Snow, Emma and Ariel. And for 6 Sundays, he always woke up to the beautiful aroma of Regina's breakfast. And even though he hadn't woken up to it for three Sundays, he fell asleep with the knowledge that Regina was back, so he spent his night dreaming of the spread he'll wake up to.

When he lazily opened his eyes in the morning; the room was still slightly gloomy thanks to the lack of sun in winter. He snuggled more into the pillow, closed his eyes once more and took in a deep breath through his nose. He held it in and furrowed his brows when the usual smell didn't immediately fill his nostrils. He opened his eyes again, and focused all of his senses. He pulled himself up onto his elbow; and strained his ears to try and hear anything. Nothing; the house was deathly quiet.

He wiggled his way from under the covers and tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake the still fast asleep Snow. He tiptoed to the other guest room, and was surprised to see Emma and Henry asleep on the bed, with no sign of Ariel. He turned around to go look in Henry's room, when the door swung open and Henry Sr. emerged.

"Good Morning David."

"Morning; how was your night?"

"Perfect; haven't slept like that in a while; if you don't count the years I spent in everlasting sleep that is"

David chuckled at the remark, "Glad to see the events of yesterday didn't keep you up"

"Why would they? I only returned from the dead to find out that the daughter I thought I lost so long ago is back; that her dead daughter is alive and mighty powerful; that my wife kidnapped and tortured her own daughter before getting killed by her granddaughter! And last but not least; that Snow is calling Regina 'Mom' and you were the one warning Daniel not to hurt her!" Henry Sr. sums up.

"Most people would have stopped at coming back from the dead" David remarks.

"That was not that much of a miracle!" Henry Sr. retorts, and David chuckles as he nods his approval.

"Where is every one?" He now asks.

"Snow and Emma are still sleeping, and I was about to go check on Regina and Daniel; and I have no idea where Ariel slept." David replies, as they both make their way to the master bedroom.

They push the slightly open door all the way, and are surprised to find that not only was the bed empty, but that the pillows were also arranged to accommodate three people. The bathroom door was open and it was clearly empty too. They both made their way downstairs and checked the rooms, only to come up empty once more; not even a note on the fridge.

"I'll call Regina, see where she is" David says, as he grabs the phone off its stand. He is about to start dialing when a cloud of purple smoke appears in the middle of the foyer. When it clears out; it reveals a partially soaked Ariel wrapped in Regina's arms, with Daniel standing next to her.

"Where have you guys been?" David scolds.

"Long story short, I need to get the hang of using magic in my sleep and control my inner desires, since they opened a portal in Atlantica and dragged my parents here. We went to the beach to meet them." Ariel said in one breath through clinched teeth, as she shrugged off the coat she was wearing, and David saw that her jeans were soaked all the way up to her thighs, "And now if you will both excuse me, I need to take a hot shower before I freeze to death!" she adds, as she runs up the stairs.

David followed her till she was out of sight before he turned his questioning gaze back to Regina; "she opened a _portal_?! In her sleep?!" he seeks confirmation.

"She brought two people back from the dead; and you're surprised she opened a portal?!" Regina retorts.

David looked back up in the direction of the master bedroom on the floor above them, "are we ever gonna learn _exactly_ how powerful she is? I mean in less than three months I've seen more powers than I can keep up with; she's an arsenal all on her own!"

"Well, Triton and Athena raised her and they are still discovering things about her, so I'm guessing never!" Daniel replies cheekily.

"Marvelous." David says sarcastically, since Henry Sr. was still too stunned to talk.

"Daddy, did you sleep well?" Regina inquires.

"Yes, I did sweetheart."

"Everybody is still asleep?" Regina asks; and right on cue, Snow, Emma and Henry round the corner on the stairs.

"How come I don't smell anything?!" Emma grumbles.

"Ariel opened a portal and dragged her parents here; so we had to go meet them at the beach, which wasted time." Regina explains.

"She couldn't wait till after breakfast?"

"She opened it in her sleep, so no!"

Emma opens her mouth to complain, when she is interrupted by Snow, "It's nearly noon anyways; we need to have lunch!" Snow declares.

"Why don't we shower and head to Granny?" Henry suggests.

* * *

The bell over the door chimes and in sprints Henry, chased by Ariel. He halts in his running when he finds Ruby standing there, and that gives Ariel the chance to catch him and tickle him mercilessly. The adults soon follow, and Granny can't help but mirror Regina's face splitting grin, as she watches Henry squirm in his sister's arms.

"Oh no, not the tickling! What on earth did the poor kid do?" Ruby asks.

"Nothing! I only suggested that we keep her in the aquarium for the winter since she hates the cold so much" he squeaks between laughs, and is relieved when his sister's hold on him weakens as she glares at the hysterical Ruby.

"You don't get to talk! Out of all the things a werewolf has; having an insanely hot body that can tolerate heat isn't one of the things you gave me!" Ariel playfully punches Ruby with every single word.

"Well, you would think a cold blooded fish who lives in the deep, deep blue sea would be able to handle the winter in Mane." Granny quips.

"Well I guess I'll turn into a mermaid and go live in the sea then!" Ariel feigns defeat.

"Okay; no more making fun of her!" Regina says commandingly.

"Ooooh, our Mayor is back!" Ruby claps her hands.

"Keep chasing my baby away and the Evil Queen will make a glorious comeback!" she threatens.

"Oh, there she is already! I thought we lost you" Ruby teases.

"Well, what can I get for you folks?" Granny asks, and they take turns telling her what they want.

She furrows her eyebrows in confusion when all Ariel asks for is salad, "salad? Just salad?" she asks.

"Yeah; I don't want to throw up again" Ariel replies.

"You threw up again?" Ruby asks.

"Three times last night! Basically everything she ate during the day!" Emma replies.

"Sweetie, you sure you're not pregnant?" Ruby quips, and David and Daniel choke on their coffee simultaneously.

Snow, Emma, Ruby and Ariel purse their lips together in amusement, and Regina looks at Ariel in worry.

"Well, I am sure that I am not pregnant, but good to know where you two stand on the matter!" Ariel assures them, while patting her father on the back.

"You're sure about that?" David chokes out.

"Yes; I am pretty sure, a baby would have shown on one of the umpteen tests Whale ran on me." She assures, "And besides; I just brought Dad back from the dead; I think I'll wait a while before I make him a grandfather!" she quips.

"Thank you, sweetheart; that's very thoughtful." Daniel says sarcastically, but can't keep the façade for long when she smiles cheekily at him.

"Speaking of Dads; did you ask Triton to help us out with Gold's son?" Emma asks.

"Crap! Totally forgot; but I am going to go to Atlantica before we go on the hunt, so I'll ask him then." Ariel replies.

"And when will that be?" Snow asks apprehensively.

"In a month or so" Ariel shrugs.

"Why didn't you just crush his heart when you had it in your hands?" Snow grumbles.

"Oh, I second that!" Ruby raises her hand enthusiastically.

"Me too!" Granny notes.

"Hold your horses everyone; that doesn't actually guarantee that it will kill the Dark One." Ariel puts a stop to the murder plot.

"What do you mean? Crushing a heart leads to the person's death!" Henry Sr. asks.

"Yes; under normal circumstances it would. But since Rumple was human before he became the Dark One; he is actually the only Dark One who had a soul. Therefore; crushing his heart might kill the human, and leaves the Dark One heartless and soulless; and we saw how bad Cora was; I'd hate to see what the Dark One will be like." She explains.

"He has a _soul_?" Emma dead pans.

"Surprisingly enough, yeah. The other ones were far worse; he became the Dark One to save his son from the previous one, who recruited young boys to fight against the ogres, because he enjoyed the suffering of parents! And since he had a soul; in a twisted way it also gave him a purpose for all the things he did, finding his son. And that created two rules; he'll use a child for what they're worth but he'll never kill him or her; and as long as you won't play a part in his scheme and is smart enough to stay out of his way; he'll let you live in peace." Ariel explains.

"Seriously! You're the one saying he has a soul?!" Emma asks.

"Sweetie; I'm the last person who will agree with him. But like I said; as distorted as it is; he had a purpose and two rules that he never broke. If the deal Cora tried to make was with the previous Dark One; he would've killed me in a heartbeat, and probably in front of Mom as a bonus!"

"What about the Wraith?" Ruby wonders.

"What is this? The death squad?!" She retorts.

"No, I'm just keeping the option open!" Ruby replies cheekily.

"Well, there are three possible scenarios to that. One; he'll consume the soul of the human Rumple, leaving the Dark One soulless. Two; he'll consume the Dark One's soul and become the new Dark One, and we have enough problems with the Wraith on its own, without all the add-on powers of the Dark One. The third being the usual outcome. That being said; even if the Wraith and crushing his heart would have killed him; I wouldn't do it now with Belle around. I would have done it long ago in the Enchanted Forrest; but right now it'll be more of a punishment to Belle than to him."

"Well we need a way out just in case his son rejects him, and he goes all murderous on us!" Emma replies.

"Well, I guess we'll have to cross the bridge when we get to it." Regina sighs.

The conversation then turns to what Ariel did that morning; and Ruby and Granny waste no time in joining Emma in teasing Ariel. The residents of Storybrooke who entered the dinner couldn't help the face splitting grins at the weird, but loveable family sitting at the counter. They were still finding it hard seeing their Evil Queen and cold-hearted Mayor letting loose like that in public.

Ariel had her head buried in Regina's lap in fake embarrassment; while she giggled hysterically when the teasing tables were turned onto Emma and her lack of archery and horseback riding skills. Regina had one arm wrapped around her daughter's shaking shoulders, as she watched the scene before her.

Emma's face was as red as the apples on her apple tree; Snow had a sympathetic look in her eyes towards her daughter, but was laughing nonetheless; Henry and David were trying to defend Emma and failing miserably at it; Daniel and Henry Sr. were enjoying the tales and at some point even joined in on the banter.

Ariel suddenly looks up at her mother; when she felt something fall on the side of her head, and finds silent tears making their way down her cheeks. Her face contorts in worry immediately and she sits up straight, "Mom; what's wrong?" she asks, as she whips the cascading tears.

The rest suddenly look very worried; Daniel, Henry, Henry Sr. and Snow immediately abandon their seats and surround her. Henry stood next to Ariel, holding one of her hands, with Henry Sr. behind him with one hand on her shoulder. Daniel was behind her, with Snow standing next to her. This somehow made the tears fall even faster; and when she looked up, they saw the happiness in her eyes despite all the tears.

"This is my happy ending."

* * *

**That's all for this story folks; it was supposed to be a 10- 20 chapter story at the most, but 6 months and 60 chapters later, here we are.**

**Thank you for all of your support, wouldn't have done it without you. **

**I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it; it tugs at my heart that it's over, but per your requests, a few one shots will soon follow.**

**Let me know what you all think of the last chapter and I will try to reply to you all.**

**To Metope; I'm glad you liked it dear, and I had half a mind to have Regina freak out, but decided to go with the silent understanding, and glad to see it worked. Cant wait to read your review on this one :)**

**To Sal Owl; I just couldn't resist with Sebastian :D glad you loved the family moments, and here's the last chapter. Cant wait to read your review.**

**To Debbie93; hope this is soon enough :)**

**To EvilRegal; I am not sure if I will write another multi-chapter story or not. If I get any new ideas, I sure will, and if it involves a new character I most certainly will include him. I was thinking of doing an AU one with no magic or curses, but I am still trying to figure out the plot. I'm honored to hear that you liked the story and would love to read what you think of this chapter.**

**To AndromedaEBlack; thank you dear, and I hope you like this chapter as well.**

**To Gizela; **

*sighs dramatically again* ;) **keep sighing like that and you'll hyperventilate :P**

Since when there are blue birds in Egypt? ;) **we have all kinds of birds :P**

I couldn't not notice :P **was starting to think your IQ dropped :P**

Hard bargain:P **I know :P**

If you insult it, you may not get those 30-something reviews :P **cant wait :P**

You FINALLY got it right! XD **had some hope left, but now it crashed and burned :/ :P**

"They may need a nursery soon.. ;) no they wont ;P"  
BOOOOOOO! :( *sobs sobs* **:P:P**

Ah. I see. With what then? :P **a night in mommy's arms :P**

How did you guess? ;) **we'll see how you handle the next ep :P**

NEVER! ;) **keep buttering me up and you might get the sexy StblQ times you keep nagging me about ;)**

Bed too comfy? Poor you ;P **takes some getting used to :D****  
**

At least for now :P **until I say so :P**

No more maids, I'm afraid:P **but Daddy is right down the hall :P**

Hahah clever girl! And so thoughtful ;) **she's just the perfect package isnt she? ;)**

Oh there were delighted ;P **especially Cora.**

And now she's back :3 **can I get a hallelujah.**

"I kept reminding myself that at the end, it'll all be more than worth it when I have her in my arms. But that moment never came; and the pain that I felt that day was nothing compared to the pain that followed.""  
:'( **is it okay that I cried writing that part?! :(**

Pretty early for first pregnancy;) **to quote someone 'she's talented' ;)**

Perfect timing as usual ;) **always ;)**

Here we go again:/ **knew you would appreciate it :P**

A little bit diff situ, don't you think my dear? **not according to many many people; and some who don't even read this story :/ **

Nothing special actually. After all she does it on a daily basis. And twice daily on the weekends ;) **like you said, powerfully talented ;)****  
**

Seriously? ;P **don't start missy! :P**

Hahaha le what? ;) **powerful witches need their friends too ;)**

"August opens his mouth to say something, "Don't you even dare think about it!" Ariel warns and he wisely shits up."  
WHAT? **he was gonna make fun of her :D**

""Yes, but you never wanted to give her up and besides we had her for the past 50 years, so it's only fair that you get her to yourself for a few months, before we start sharing." Triton exclaims softly.  
"Dad, you're making me sound so old!" Ariel mumbles.  
"More importantly; you're making us sound so old!" Athena declares seriously, playfully glaring at her husband, and moving her finger between Regina and herself."  
THIS! LOL! **knew you would like it :)**

I- fully. **Belle is there, remember? ;) she brings out the 'best' in him :D**

Sure you can't..;P **oosh lady :P**

Listen to your father Ariel! ;) **she has two now! this should be fun :D**

Okey. Now, the final chaper. BRING. IT. ON. *cries hysterically* ;) ** you may now start sobbing :(**

* * *

**Well that is all folks; see you in the next story and let me know what you think of the last chapter.**

**Prue**


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